Romanian coach banned for six months for betting on matches

BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Romania's football federation has banned Marius Sumudica, coach of league leaders FC Astra, for six months for placing bets on several domestic and international matches. Sumudica placed bets between 500 euros and 900 euros on several matches in the Romanian championship, the Champions League, Europa League as well as Romania's junior teams' matches, according to the federation. He was fined 100,000 lei ($24,340). Sumudica could not be reached for comment, but Astra publicly backed their coach, who has helped the team top the standings with 51 points from 26 matches, three points ahead of Dinamo Bucharest. "It's unfair punishment," Astra's senior official Petre Buduru told local media. "We cannot blame him, we will do our best to defend him." He said the club will appeal the ban. Betting on matches, domestic or anywhere in the world, is prohibited in Romania, but is considered to be rife. The federation said in a statement the penalty bans Sumudica from all soccer-related functions and events with immediate effect. Astra, who finished fourth last season, competed in this season's Europa League and knocked out English club West Ham United following a 4-3 aggregate victory in the third qualifying round. ($1 = 4.1086 lei) (Reporting by Angel Krasimirov Editing by Jeremy Gaunt.)