Sammut appeals against lifetime ban

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP)

Malta footballer Kevin Sammut has appealed to sport's highest court against a lifetime ban imposed by UEFA for helping fix a European Championship qualifier.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport says it has registered Sammut's case and will set a hearing date later.

Sammut denies colluding with a Croatian-led syndicate in June 2007 to help manipulate a Euro 2008 qualifier against Norway for a betting scam.

UEFA's appeals panel expelled the 31-year-old Sammut from football in December, after he and UEFA both challenged an earlier 10-year suspension.

UEFA didn't specify what evidence it used to convict Sammut. Malta trailed 1-0 when he was substituted at halftime and eventually lost 4-0.

At a 2011 criminal trial in Bochum, Germany, Croatian fixer Marijo Cvrtak described meeting Malta players to arrange a fix.