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FIFA to probe claims of irregular betting patterns in Turkey

Latvia's Oskars Klava, right, vies for the ball with Jhasmany Campos of Bolivia during last week's friendly in Turkey.
Latvia's Oskars Klava, right, vies for the ball with Jhasmany Campos of Bolivia during last week's friendly in Turkey.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • FIFA to investigate two international friendlies amid claims of heavy betting patterns
  • The matches, Bolivia versus Latvia and Bulgaria-Estonia, produced seven penalties
  • Football's world ruling body confirms it has asked for the match reports
  • Estonian FA revealed it had been informed of possible manipulation before the game
RELATED TOPICS
  • FIFA
  • Estonia
  • Latvia
  • Bolivia
  • Bulgaria

(CNN) -- FIFA has launched an investigation into two international friendly matches held in Turkey last week that yielded seven penalties amid claims of heavy betting patterns.

Bolivia beat Latvia 2-1 in the resort of Antalya hours before Bulgaria and Estonia played out a 2-2 draw on the same ground. All the goals scored came from the penalty spot.

"We can confirm that FIFA has requested the match report from the federations," a FIFA spokesperson told CNN.

"At the moment we don't have much more information. We can only say we have started an investigation and we require the reports from all federations."

Spokesman Mihkel Uiboleht said last Thursday that his Estonian Football Association had been informed about "possible manipulation" after the matches.

"The friendly was organized by an agency with whom we will not work any more," he said in quotes reported by the UK Press Association.

"We received information of possible manipulation even before the game as the same agency also organized the match between Latvia and Bolivia and there was the same scenario there."