NICOSIA, Cyprus -- The Cypriot soccer association followed through with a pledge to impose harsh penalties on any clubs suspected of match-fixing after UEFA ranked the countrys championship to be among the worst offenders in Europe.The executive board said penalties that come into force Tuesday will begin with a 50,000 euro ($53,085) fine for a first offense, followed by a six-point loss and a 50,000 euro fine for a second. Two-time offenders will be held back from moving up a division if theyre eligible. A third offense will mean relegation and a halt to all funding. Offenders caught a fourth time will incur a five-year ban and a 100,000 euro ($106,170) fine.The penalties mirror those recommended by UEFA, with the biggest difference being that the Cypriot association saved the harshest punishment for clubs flagged by UEFA for match-fixing suspicions for a fourth time instead of three.No action will be taken if a match suspected to have been fixed fails to deliver a result favored by suspicious betting activity.Cypriot officials said rampant match-fixing in the national championship was possibly linked to betting in Asia. The Cyprus soccer association has received files on 75 matches suspected of being fixed since 2011.I believe the measures are severe and that the association will support them, Association Deputy President George Koumas said.Justice Minister Ionas Nicolaou said the only way the problem can be dealt with is if authorities put their words into action.This is a situation that insults our championship and indeed our country, Nicolaou told reporters. No one should drag their feet on this in the slightest, and the Cyprus soccer association must act quickly and decisively.Nicolaou said strict penalties wont be enough to stop match-fixing without giving authorities the legal tls to go after the perpetrators, including a law lifting curbs on wiretaps. 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MADRID -- Life without Kevin Durant began for the Oklahoma City Thunder with a 142-137 overtime loss to Real Madrid in its first preseason game in Spain on Monday.Thunders revamped team was in control for the first three quarters but allowed the nine-time Euroleague champion to rally for the victory in front of a raucous local crowd in the Spanish capital.Russell Westbrk, newcomer Victor Oladipo and forward Enes Kanter led the way for the Thunder in the teams first game since Durants departure.Westbrk had 18 points from 22 minutes, Oladipo added 34 points and five assists from 33 minutes and Kanter had 29 points and 10 rebounds from 33 minutes.Real Madrid trailed by as much as 22 points but was able to send the game into overtime with a three-pointer by Sergio Llull at the buzzer, then pulled away in the final minute of overtime. Llull had five of the 20 threes scored by the hosts. Guard Jaycee Carroll led Madrid with 24 points, two more than Llull.The first half we played a really gd game, we played with that identity that we were lking to create, Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. But clearly our defense in the second half was not where it needed to be. But we got a chance to play a lot of young guys, a lot of new guys. I feel like this is going to be a great opportunity for our team to really lk at this game and really grow from it.The Thunder made their fourth Western Conference finals appearance in six years last season but Durant, who played eight seasons in Oklahoma, left in July to join the Golden State Warriors as a free agent. Serge Ibaka also departed in a trade to the Orlando Magic on draft night, leaving Westbrk in charge of leading a group of new faces.We definitely have a lot of new faces. We have some things to learn, obviously, some different thinks to pick up on, but we will get there. Right now its preseason, we are trying to make sure we are clicking when the regular season starts, Westbrk said. I thought we did a gd job tonight, trying to figure out whats best for us to move forward.dddddddddddd Weve got some things to learn, but Im lking forward to gd things out of our team.Westbrk played only in the first and third quarters and finished 7 for 14 from the field.Oladipo seemed to fit in nicely in his new team, doing a gd job controlling the game along with Westbrk.He was one of the players traded for Ibaka, along with forward Ersan Ilyasova and draft pick Domantas Sabonis, a move intended to improve the teams depth and shore up its inconsistent shting guard position. Oladipo finished 14 for 24 from the field.Just to be here in general is a great opportunity for me, the 24-year-old Oladipo said. Im truly thankful to be here and to be able to wear this jersey. Im going to make the most of this situation and the opportunity. Ive still got a lot of rm to grow, a lot of rm to get better. It was only the first game of the year, so a lot of rm to improve and Im lking forward to doing that.The Thunder arrived in Spain with coach Donovan saying the overseas trip would be crucial to help his new group of players bond ahead of the new season.In addition to playing Real Madrid, the Thunder will also face 18-time Spanish League champion and two-time Euroleague champion FC Barcelona Lassa on Wednesday in Barcelona.The Thunder then return to the U.S. to play four preseason games in October. They start their season at the Philadelphia 76ers on Oct. 26.Durant will be back in Oklahoma City with Golden States jersey on Feb. 11.Also part of NBA Global Games 2016, the Houston Rockets and New Orleans Pelicans will face each other in preseason games in Shanghai and Beijing on Oct. 9 and Oct. 12.---Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/tales-azzoni ' ' '