/world sport
LISBON, Portugal (AP) -- Portuguese authorities have relegated Boavista and deducted points from champions Porto for attempting to fix league matches in the country's biggest-ever football scandal.
The league's disciplinary committee ruled that Porto tried to bribe referees in two matches in the 2003-04 season, and deducted six points from club -- although it will not stop them securing their third straight league title this weekend.
Porto were also fined 150,000 euros and chairman Jorge Pinto da Costa was banned from attending matches for two years.
Boavista were relegated to the second division and fined 180,000 euros after being found guilty of trying to coerce referees in three games in the 2003-04 season.
Their chairman at the time, Joao Loureiro, was suspended for four years and fined 25,000 euros.
Five referees were also found guilty of corruption. They were handed suspensions of between two-and-a-half and six years.
Porto won one of the two games that were investigated and drew the other on their way to clinching the title under then-coach Jose Mourinho.
The charges were taken from a lawsuit brought by Portugal's public prosecutor against Porto's chairman for alleged attempted bribery. No date has been set for that trial.
Pinto da Costa has denied the allegations, while Mourinho has not been mentioned in the league charges or in the lawsuit.
The points deduction will not hurt Porto, as they will still maintain a 14-point lead going into Sunday's final round of matches.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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