Figo dismisses Euro 2004 fears over match-fixing probe

Portugal star Luis Figo has dismissed fears the Euro 2004 finals could be affected by a police probe in Portugal into allegations of attempts to bribe referees.

"The European championship has nothing to do with the sports officials who exist in Portugal," the Real Madrid player told Wednesday's edition of the Correio da Manha daily.

"It will be of consequence only to the people who are involved," he added.

"It is hard for me to believe that you can win or lose a game by decisions made in offices, at the most there could be some influence at a certain moment of a game, but it is hard to believe."

Police detained 16 people, including nine referees, in dawn raids on Tuesday on "strong indications of the crimes of document falsification, sports corruption and influence peddling."

Among those detained were Valentim Loureiro, the 66-year-old president of the Portuguese Professional Football League and Antonio Pinto de Sousa, the president of the Portuguese Football Federation's Council of Referees.

Both men were scheduled to appear in court in Gondomar, 350 kilometres (200 miles) north of Lisbon, on Wednesday.

Loureiro, a former president of Boavista, is the mayor of Gondomar.

The detentions come as Portugal is gearing up to host the 16-nation European championships from June 12 to July 4.