SOFIA. Bulgaria. Oct 9: The Bulgarian soccer club Yantra have been expelled from the country's First Division after a bribery charge, media reported Saturday, reports AP.

The executive committee Of the Bulgarian Football Association suspended Yantra. located in the town of Gabrovo in central Bulgaria, from the top league for the rest of the season and relegated the club to the' Second Division next year.

The association also levied a fine of 200.000 leva (dlrs 7.200) on Yantra for trying to buy the team's last league match against Beroe. '

According to police sources. Yantra player Stefan Bachev was caught handing 90.000 leva (dlrs 3.200) to the wife of Beroe player Ognyan Radev.

It is the first time in Bulgarian soccer that a scandal of this type has been given notable publicity. Earlier cases of bribery were poorly-kept secrets that went largely unpunished.

Sasho. Kostov, a former striker of Levski Sofia and the national team, said : 'No doubt that there Is corruption in Bulgarian soccer. Last year, for example, one knew In advance . the result of many matches."

Soccer scandals have been rife throughout Europe this year, with incidents reported in France. Poland. Israel. Italy. Georgia and Turkey. The most notorious has been the bribery scandal In France, where Champions Cup titlists Olympique Marseille have been hit with several sanctions, including expulsion, from this season's Champions Cup tournament.