Unión Magdalena players are separated, under investigation for alleged links to illegal betting

The shadow of illegal betting reappears in Colombian soccer, this time due to the investigation against several players of the Magdalena Unionwho were separated from the squad.

This Tuesday it was learned that between 6 and 8 footballers would be under investigation for their alleged involvement in illegal betting.

The footballers are training with the team's minor divisions, while the situation is clarified.

The program Blog Deportivo, on Blu Radio, reported, citing sources from the Prosecutor's Office, that the players “are not suspended, but they have just been separated because they are investigations that have to do with illegal betting on football.”

The media even revealed the names of the players separated from the squad: Efraín Ustariz, Cristian Bernardo Baldovino, José Mercado, Alain Guerrero, Arneth David González, Daiver Vega, Juan Carlos del Río and Serrano.

Unión Magdalena participates in the Colombian promotion tournament and is currently in 10th place in the table, with 10 points.

Background

The issue of illegal betting has shaken Colombian soccer since February when the president of Patriotas, César Guzmán, denounced that illegal bettors have contacted soccer players on his team.

“This situation has been occurring very repeatedly, especially in First B teams (BetPlay Tournament), where these characters of dubious reputation, who move in the dark world of betting and who know that footballers receive low salaries, They take the opportunity to tempt them with large sums of money in exchange for the illegal manipulation of the result, or for certain situations that may arise on the field of play (throw-ins, penalties, corner kicks, cards, etc.),” said Acolfutpro in a released in August 2023.

Furthermore, in May of last year, the then coach of Boca Juniors de Cali, Alejandro Guerrerodenounced possible match-fixing in which players from his team would be involved.

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