Judge clears 36 Spanish players of match-fixing

Thirty-six players on trial in Spain’s most high-profile match-fixing case have been cleared of wrongdoing.

A Spanish judge issued the not guilty verdict, saying there was not enough evidence to convict the players and others on trial, including former Mexico coach Javier Aguirre.

More than 40 people were accused of match-fixing involving the Spanish league game between Levante and Real Zaragoza at the end of the 2010-11 season.

The judge convicted two former Zaragoza officials of fraud – then-president Agapito Iglesias and club director Javier Porquera.

They were given a 15-month prison sentence, although they are not likely to face jail time because sentences of less than two years for first-time offenders are often suspended in Spain.

Those accused were facing two years in prison and a six-year ban from football.