Football expert Alexander Tochilin's exclusive interview was presented to the online publication "Euro-Football.Ru". This was reported by Euro-football.ru.
He expressed his opinion on the situation regarding the exclusion of the "Torpedo" team from the Russian Premier League (RPL). Tochilin stated that he does not know exactly where the Russian Football Union's (RFI) decision came from, as there are currently no official evidence.
The investigation process is still ongoing. However, if the RFI has taken such a step, it means they have information that may be confirmed later.
Their main goal is to protect the national championship from falling into a more complicated situation. If the club is guilty, it has the right to be punished.
It is a positive development that actions have begun in this regard, indicating a desire to clean up our football. Reports have circulated in the media that "Torpedo" CEO Valery Skorodumov stated that 12 referees were bribed by law enforcement agencies.
The expert emphasized that this information is currently just words, and evidence is needed for every claim. Perhaps, in the future, the names of other individuals related to the referee corps may also be revealed.
Tochilin mentioned that there have been rumors about such situations before, and now evidence is starting to emerge. If bribery is proven, someone among the organizers of the competitions must be held accountable.
There must be individuals who take responsibility for the referees. If the referees made mistakes and are later re-employed, there should also be those who are responsible for that.
For the expert, the exclusion of "Torpedo" from the RPL is not an unexpected event, but the fact that the club may be punished despite the lack of official evidence worries him. Perhaps, in the end, all accusations will be dismissed, but the club will suffer.
This will unjustly affect the players, coaches, and fans. It is a regrettable situation for a team with history and its fans.
