Brazil federation, referee fined for match fixing

The Brazilian soccer federation and a former referee are being fined $96 million for a match-fixing scandal in the 2005 domestic league.

A civil court has ruled that the federation and Edilson Pereira de Carvalho must share the fine for the scandal that forced 11 matches to be replayed after the referee confessed to accepting bribes from gamblers to ensure the outcomes of games. Corinthians eventually won matches that it had lost and clinched the title.

It was not clear how the fine would be divided.

The Brazilian federation told the Ig website that it would appeal the court's decision.

Carvalho and his lawyer could not be contacted by The Associated Press on Sunday.

The ruling was made based on a law that protects consumers' rights.