Latvian football clubs pay off debts, match fixing investigations continue

Latvian football clubs and FC Skonto and FC Jūrmala have paid their 3000 euro participation fee for the 2014 Virslīga season, digital football website OneNilUp.com reports

This does not however, guarantee that the clubs will be able to complete the season. Regulations set out by the Latvian Football Federation (LFF) and the Latvijas Futbola Virslīga (LFV) state that clubs must be members of both associations.

As FC Skonto and FC Jūrmala missed the deadlines for payment, they are currently not members of the LFV and as a result fail to meet the criteria for competing in the championship.

It has been decided that both clubs will be allowed to compete until a decision is reached, at this point it seems that Skonto and Jūrmala will be allowed to complete the season.

Skonto and Jurmala were expelled from the Virsliga due to unpaid debts earlier this year.

Virsliga executive director Emils Latkovskis said the decision does not mean that both of the clubs will not play in the league anymore, as the Latvian Football Federation has the final say on this matter.

''According to regulations, both clubs cannot play in the league anymore, but the Latvian Football Federation's Disciplinary Committee will have the final say,'' said Latkovskis.

Skonto is currently in first place in the Virsliga with 46 points from 20 matches, while Jurmala is in last place with just six points.

Players from both clubs have already boycotted one Virsliga match this season due to unpaid salaries.

FC Jurmala is currently under investigation by UEFA over alleged match fixing.