A former referee once accused UEFA of fixing Champions League draw using vibration method

It's been a decade since former referee-turned-pundit Ahmet Cakar accused UEFA of fixing the Champions League draw by using the so-called vibration technique.

Back in 2013, a suspicious Cakar shared his theory on Turkish TV channel Beyaz after the quarter-final Champions League draw pitted Galatasaray against one of the tournament favourites Real Madrid.

He remarkably claimed that UEFA used vibrating balls to ensure that Europe's biggest clubs are kept apart until the latter stages of their competitions.

According to the former referee, draw-makers Steve McManaman and Patrick Kluivert had metal objects in their hand which pick up vibrations in the balls as they bounce around in the pot.

Cakar, who officiated a number of Champions League games in the 90's – including a semi-final clash between Bayern Munich and Ajax – even carried out a demonstration live on Turkish television.

Here, he picked balls out of a bowl and recreated the exact order of the Champions League draw.

Cakar also accused then-UEFA General Secretary, Gianni Infantino, who is the current president of FIFA, of suspicious hand movements during the draw.

Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich would all avoid each other in the last eight, while Premier League teams Chelsea, Tottenham and Newcastle were also kept apart in the Europa League draw.

"UEFA manipulated the draw for both the Champions League and Europa League," said Cakar at the time.

Cakar initially raised his suspicions after the Champions League last 16 draw, when the rehearsal draw was identical to the real one the following day.

Image credit: Getty

Speaking in an interview with Argentinian newspaper La Nacion in 2016, former FIFA president Sepp Blatter claimed he witnessed the fixing of a draw for a European competition.

He did not elaborate on which draw but said he'd seen balls that were cooled to make their identification known when picked out.

“Of course it’s possible that they can be signalled, by heating or cooling them. It doesn’t happen in Fifa, but I’ve witnessed draws at European level where it has happened, but never in Fifa.

“Of course it can be done, but it never happened under my watch, never.”

He added: "Balls are put in the freezer before the draw, at the slightest touch you can tell if the balls are hot or cold. By touching them you know exactly what you have.”