European football leaders want lawmakers to protect the game by adopting legislation that will crack down on match-fixing and corrupt betting. UEFA's strategy council is calling for a zero-tolerance approach to players, referees and officials involved in match-fixing.

UEFA is helping anti-corruption police in Bochum, Germany, investigate Europe's biggest-ever football scandal that put more than 270 matches in domestic leagues and international competitions under suspicion.

Croatian-led organized crime syndicates are believed to have made $9.6m profit betting on matches after paying bribes to manipulate results.

UEFA has banned two referees for life and suspended two players from Hungarian champion Debrecen.