Football referee Bruno Maric has said that his conscience is absolutely clear and that he is calmly waiting for the outcome of the entire story regarding suspicions that the first match of the finals of the 2009 Croatian soccer cup was fixed.
Maric, who was the main referee of the match in which Dinamo defeated Hajduk 3-0, and the Dinamo sports director, Zoran Mamic are suspected by the UEFA ( the Union of European Football Associations), of having been involved in the rigging of the disputable match.
Maric, who on Monday held a news conference in Zagreb together with his lawyer Vladimir Gredelj, told reporters that he had learnt from the media about a statement issued the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) in which he was described as a suspect.
Lawyer Gredelj said that last week his client had held "informal talks" with an UEFA official following an oral request from the HNS Secretary-General (Zorislav Srebric).
According to Gredelj, Maric has not received any invitation or charges in writing from any agency.
Gredelj accused the HNS of being discredited in the entire case which was why, he said, it should not deal with the scandal.
The HNS does not intend to suspend Dinamo sports director Zoran Mamic and referee Maric on the basis of suspicions and circumstantial evidence, HNS president Vlatko Markovic told RTL television on Sunday.
He said he would discuss this case, which he said had been exaggerated by the media, with UEFA president Michel Platini soon.
"I'm convinced that Croatian clubs and players aren't implicated in any betting scandals and we won't take any steps until the contrary has been proven," said Markovic.
Last Wednesday the UEFA investigator interviewed Maric in Zagreb about the first match of the finals of the 2009 Croatian soccer cup which the German police suspect was fixed. The interview lasted three hours.
Consequently, Maric on Thursday asked the HNS to suspend him to avoid causing harm to the HNS and the referee organisation until the case is resolved. In a letter to the HNS Maric insists on being falsely accused. The HNS issued a statement on Wednesday saying its Disciplinary Commission would convene in the nearest future to decide on the status of Maric and another suspect in this case - Dinamo sports director Mamic.
