GENEVA -- UEFA acknowledged Monday that its showpiece international competition had been corrupted, as it confirmed a 10-year ban of Malta player Kevin Sammut for helping to fix a 2008 European Championship qualifying match. Sammut was found guilty of "breaching UEFAs principles of integrity and sportsmanship" relating to manipulating results, the governing body of European football said in a statement. UEFA did not specify exactly how Sammut was involved in fixing Maltas 4-0 loss away to Norway in June 2007. Sammut, who has played 37 matches for Malta since making his debut in 2005, has denied any involvement in fixing matches. He is currently under contract with club side Valletta, which represented Malta in the qualifying rounds of UEFAs Champions League last month. The 31-year-old midfielder and two other players were charged by UEFA using evidence gathered by the Malta Football Association. It investigated an allegation made last year by a Croatian crime syndicate member during a match-fixing criminal trial in Bochum, Germany. UEFA cleared Sammuts teammates, Kenneth Scicluna and Stephen Wellman, because "the findings of the disciplinary inspector are insufficient to take any disciplinary action against them." At a news conference Monday, Malta FA President Norman Darmanin Demajo said there was "overwhelming evidence" of a fix involving players and an organized crime gang. "Match-fixing is a clandestine activity organized by criminals -- a reality we must also face in Malta," Darmanin Demajo was quoted as saying by the Malta Today website. However, the Malta football chief said his organization would not publish details from its dossier on the case. Sammuts ban prohibits him from "any football-related activity." UEFA will ask footballs world governing body FIFA to extend the punishment globally. Sammut can challenge the sanction at UEFAs appeals panel, and then the Court of Arbitration for Sport -- though without the support of his national federation. "He will decide, it is his case," MFA general secretary Joe Gauci told The Associated Press by telephone. The Malta case was based on allegations made by Marijo Cvrtak, a leading member of a Croatian gang headed by convicted match-fixer Ante Sapina. Cvrtak claimed in the Bochum court that he met three Malta players in their Oslo hotel before the Euro 2008 qualifier who would arrange the fix. UEFA declined to comment on reports in Malta that Cvrtak attended Sammuts disciplinary hearing held last Friday in Nyon, Switzerland. In the match, Sammut was substituted at halftime when Malta trailed 1-0. Norway scored three late goals, boosting payouts on potential wagers placed on how many goals would be scored and the margin of Maltas defeat. The MFA also identified Scicluna and Wellman, who both played the full 90 minutes in Oslo, as being involved in the case. Malta finished last in its Euro 2008 qualifying group. Norway placed third and failed to advance to the tournament, which was played in Switzerland and Austria. In court, Sapina and Cvrtak were said to have made millions in profit by bribing referees, players and officials to help manipulate matches and results. Most wagers were placed in Asian betting markets. The gang claimed to have manipulated a 2010 World Cup qualifier between Liechtenstein and Finland in September 2009. A Bosnian referee was paid C40,000 ($52,000) to ensure two goals would be scored in the second half. The match was scoreless at half time and ended 1-1, with one goal scored from a penalty awarded by the referee, who has since been suspended from football for life. Sapina was convicted on 22 counts of fraud and attempted fraud, while Cvrtak was found guilty on 26 counts of fraud and attempted fraud. Both were sentenced to 5 1/2 years in jail, though their prison terms were reduced because of time served in custody awaiting trial. wholesale jerseys china . -- When dark clouds ominously obscured majestic Mount Baldy north of Auto Club Speedway early in Sundays race, NASCARs drivers all realized they were probably in for a short day on a long track. cheap nfl jerseys . A football player, lets call him Quarterback X, has an extraordinary college career that includes winning the Heisman Trophy and leading his team to a national championship while playing in the SEC, the toughest NCAA conference there is. http://www.wholesalejerseysamerica... . The association said in a press statement on Sunday it had "decided not to consider" Bhupathi, a cup player since 1995, and Bopanna, for 10 years, for selection till June 30, 2014. 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The IceCaps now lead 3-1 in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series. Game 5 is Tuesday in Wilkes-Barre. Maxwells winner came on a scramble in front of the Penguins net. Jason King pushed a rebound into a crowd near the crease and Maxwell put it in for the game-winner. "It hit a couple shin pads in there and managed to wind up on my stick and go in," Maxwell said. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton took a 2-0 lead in the first period by scoring on its first two shots, but the IceCaps answered back with two in the second. "I thought we held our composure when we could have lost focus and gotten frustrated," St. Johns coach Keith McCambridge said. Colin McDonald connected from the slot at 4:30 of the first for his team-high fifth goal of the playoffs for Wilkes-Barre, before Eric Tangradi converted from close range 2:19 later after taking a pass from Geoff Walker.dddddddddddd Tangradi assisted McDonalds goal with a pass from the left corner. "Weve got a great defensive corps," Maxwell said. "We figured if we could shut them out for the rest of the 40 or so minutes, the offence would take care of itself." Derek Meech, the leagues top scoring defenceman in the playoffs, scored his fourth goal for St. Johns on a power play at 4:24 of the second. Meech sent a wrist shot from the right point through traffic into the upper left corner of the net. Maxime Macenauer tied the game at 16:35 off a cross-ice pass from Paul Postma. A scoreless third period sent the teams into overtime for the second time in less than 24 hours and St. Johns again came out on top. "Wilkes-Barre is a very good team and is playing some strong hockey," McCambridge said. "All of the games have been really strongly contested and expect more of the same." IceCaps goaltender Eddie Pasquale needed to make just 14 saves for the win, while Brad Thiessen stopped 26 shots for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. ' ' '