Romanov’s lie detectors are no joke

VLADIMIR Romanov has confirmed to The Scotsman that he does use polygraph testing to guard against corruption, but declined to specify exactly how often or when his employees have been checked.

When the Hearts owner said earlier this week that he had introduced lie-detectors, his remarks were interpreted by some as being in jest. Last night, however, Romanov insisted he was in earnest. “For a number of years I have used such tests, and in different forms,” he said.

He added that he remained suspicious about some results he had seen in Scottish football, including a heavy home defeat for Hearts in March 2007. “It was evident that such defeats as 0-4 to Dundee United, and other teams of the same kind, are not based on honest sporting principles,” he said. “That makes me keep thinking how to protect the club from behind-the-scenes manipulations by shadow dealers.

“Those people are so powerful that players cannot get out of the paws of mafia on their own.”