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Malaysian Sports Minister calls for serious action after 18 players banned for match-fixing
The youth team players from MSL teams were handed the ban along with a coach for agreeing to fix the outcome of matches
07-Feb-2012 9:51:00 AM
By Goal.com
Harimau Muda A
Malaysia's Youth and Sports Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek has called for authorities to find the root of match fixing after 18 players were banned from football-related activities for two-five years after being found guilty of the offence.
The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) announced over the weekend that the players, from three different clubs, would receive lengthy suspensions for their offences committed at the national under-21 President's Cup in 2011.
A former Negeri Sembilan coach was also handed a life-time ban for his role in the scandal.
“I will direct the respective authorities to investigate and find out the source of the match-fixing scandal,” Shabery Cheek said according to Malaysia’s Bernama news agency.
The names of the players and the coach will only be officially released on Wednesday.
Investigations had begun last December over allegations that the players had been involved in football related illegal activities with three individuals who had already been charged with bribing players.
The news comes in the same week that Sultan Ahmad Shah, the FAM and AFF President, called on players involved in match-fixing to have the conscience leave the game willingly.
“It is a sin to be involved in match-fixing and players should realized that they should consider themselves lucky able to get paid just to play football,” said Sultan Ahmad.
“It is unacceptable. I would like to state now that whoever is involved in match-fixing, I will take action.”
The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) announced over the weekend that the players, from three different clubs, would receive lengthy suspensions for their offences committed at the national under-21 President's Cup in 2011.
A former Negeri Sembilan coach was also handed a life-time ban for his role in the scandal.
“I will direct the respective authorities to investigate and find out the source of the match-fixing scandal,” Shabery Cheek said according to Malaysia’s Bernama news agency.
The names of the players and the coach will only be officially released on Wednesday.
Investigations had begun last December over allegations that the players had been involved in football related illegal activities with three individuals who had already been charged with bribing players.
The news comes in the same week that Sultan Ahmad Shah, the FAM and AFF President, called on players involved in match-fixing to have the conscience leave the game willingly.
“It is a sin to be involved in match-fixing and players should realized that they should consider themselves lucky able to get paid just to play football,” said Sultan Ahmad.
“It is unacceptable. I would like to state now that whoever is involved in match-fixing, I will take action.”
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A coach was also among those suspended by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), prompting Youth and Sports Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek to call for police action.
“I will direct the respective authorities to investigate and find out the source of the match-fixing scandal,” he was quoted as saying by Malaysia’s Bernama news agency.
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