FIFA order Zimbabwe Football Association to act over match fixing revelations
The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has being ordered to take action over a match-fixing incident by FIFA.
The Zimbabwe authorities have already investigated the match-fixing scandal and have concluded that an Asian betting syndicate bribed Zimbabwe players and officials in December 2009 to lose games on a tour of Asia.
Zimbabwe lost 3-0 to Thailand and 6-0 to Syria on a tour of Asia and Zimbabwe officials and players now appear to be involved in the scandal.
ZIFA programmes officer Jonathan Musavengana and chief executive Henrietta Rushwaya have also been implicated and are believed to have received money for their part in the match-fixing scandal. The two officials have been suspended since August, but both
deny any wrongdoing.
FIFA has ordered ZIFA to impose sanctions and bans on anyone involved in the incident, which could mean captain Method Mwanjali’s future is in doubt.
Zimbabwe admitted that an agent named Raja, who was based in Singapore, spoke with the players during games on the tour and that the players on tour received money for losing matches.
"We were handsomely paid $1,000 [about £600] for losing. The money was paid at the airport as we were about to go home," said Mwanjali during a ZIFA inquiry.
The player also stated that, “Raja had come to our dressing room before kick-off and told us to lose to Thailand by 1-0. We were supposed to concede a goal in the 20th minute,"
"We conceded in the 44th minute, but not by design. For that Raja was visibly angry and came to the dressing room at half-time and blew his top," he added at the inquiry.
FIFA will now expect ZIFA to act and punish those involved in the incident. The order comes just after a World Cup bidding scandal was unveiled by the Sunday Times involving FIFA officials.
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