At the end of the 1980–81 season Maribor were celebrating as the club managed to avoid relegation down to the Slovenian Republic League, when the "" ("") bribery scandal emerged, and caused the club to be relegated from second tier to third by the decision of the Football Association of Yugoslavia disciplinary committee. The club had a secret fund that was used for bribing officials and opponents. The fund was abolished in 1968 after the club was promoted to the first division, but was later established again in 1976. Some club officials were keeping track of the bribery expenses in their "black book", which was later confiscated by the authorities. From the book it is clear that Maribor had bribed a total of 31 people.