(http://yle.fi/ecepic/neon3/archive/00393/rops_kentta_pallo_y_393920b.jpg)
The Finnish football season is usually shorter than that of most European countries because the climate here is inhospitable for grass-based sports. This year it is even later than usual for somewhat darker reasons.
It all started when a Singaporean man was arrested in late February at Helsinki Vantaa airport while trying to leave the country on a false passport. He was wanted in Singapore, and was suspected of attempting to fix football matches there. Soon nine players from Rovaniemen Palloseura (RoPS) and two who had played for AC Oulu in 2010 were arrested and then bailed by police.
Their clubs terminated their employment, leaving the players under travel bans, unemployed and the subject of ongoing legal processes. The RoPS CEO Jouko Kiistala, long associated with the club's strategy of signing affordable and talented African players, left the club. Two Zambian brothers who had played for AC Oulu last season were convicted of taking bribes and given seven month suspended prison sentences.
They had taken a total of 50,000 euros for under-performing in an away match at TPS Turku, a game their team lost 5-0. They told the court that one of their reasons for taking the money was their low salaries, a common problem in Finnish football. Some clubs have difficulty paying even the sums they have committed to, and it is not uncommon for players to receive their salaries late or not at all.
Source: Yle