BRUSSELS

The European Union and the UEFA Champions League have signed a three-year cooperation agreement to fight racism, corruption and match fixing in football, it was announced Tuesday.

According to a press release, José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, Androulla Vassiliou, Commissioner responsible for sport and Michel Platini, President UEFA signed the agreement in Brussels.

''By working together, we will make sure football can overcome many challenges it faces, whether it is discrimination, match-fixing, third-party ownership or violence,'' Platini said.

''It is important that arrangements concerning players, such as the so-called third-party ownership of the "economic rights" of players, do not threaten the integrity of sporting competition or undermine the relationship of trust and mutual respect that should exist in any relationship of employment,'' the statement added. 

It also covers issues that are said to be covered less by the media such as promotion of education and training through football.

The agreement comes at a crucial time for football when a series of match fixings and corruption scandals plague the popular sport.

On September 25, a Spanish state prosecutor summoned players over alleged match fixing between Levante and Real Zaragoza in the 2011 Spanish League.

In 2013, four Singaporeans were arrested with 10 others for allegedly trying to rig football matches around the world. The arrested people were accused of being involved in a match-fixing syndicate that allegedly rigged at least 380 football matches in Europe, according to European police.

www.aa.com.tr/en