Austrian club release player over match-fixing allegations

"On the basis of the events of the previous days, sporting director Christian Haas has announced cancellation of Dominique Taboga's contract by mutual consent," said the Austrian Bundesliga club in a statement on its website. (www.sv-groedig.at)

The Austrian football federation (OeFB) said it had been told that Taboga had tried to persuade team mates to take part in match-fixing.

"This morning, the OeFB was informed in writing by SV Groedig that Dominque Taboga tried to incite four players to take part in match-manipulation, which they rejected," said the OeFB in a statement issued jointly with the Bundesliga.

"Based on this information, the appropriate legal steps have been taken."

On Tuesday, state prosecutors in Salzburg said that three men had been arrested for allegedly trying to blackmail Taboga in a shopping centre car park.

Groedig, a small club based near Salzburg, were promoted to the Bundesliga, the top flight of Austrian professional football, last season and are currently fourth in the table.

Taboga, 31, joined Groedig from Kapfenberg at the start of the 2012/13 season when they were in the second tier and helped them win promotion.

He has previously played for St Poelten, Kapfenberg and Norweigian club Tromso.

(Reporting By Brian Homewood; Editing by Alison Wildey and Justin Palmer)