Association bans six Malaysian booters for life
Association bans six Malaysian booters for life
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysia's football federation has banned six footballers for life for match-fixing in an unprecedented move following a protracted bribery scandal, news reports and officials said yesterday.
"This is the first time a life ban has been meted out by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM)," a FAM official said.
FAM, in a statement released late Wednesday, said the six players from Malaysia's eastern Sabah state team, including former national skipper Matlan Marjan, had been banned for life for fixing matches in this season's professional league.
The decision was taken after FAM's disciplinary board studied the explanation offered by the players and found them guilty of bringing disrepute to the game and the association, FAM officials said.
Matlan, along with G. Raveychandran, Junaidy Tuah, Charles Tindi, Gerard Mojiliu and Matussin Bowie were issued show-cause letters last month.
"We have noted their explanations and we found that all six had brought disrepute to the game, Zaman Khan, FAM's disciplinary board chairman was reported yesterday saying in the New Straits Times daily.
The suspension was in line with the disciplinary guidelines issued by the FAM council, Zaman said. The six have 14 days to appeal against the ban.
FAM officials said the six could not be charged in court as there was insufficient evidence to prove their guilt. The six were instrumental in helping Sabah win the FA Cup over central Pahang state this season.
The six are the first batch of players to be banned for life for their involvement in match-fixing and bribery which had rocked Malaysian football last year.
Before their arrest in July, 21 players were banished and sent into internal exile and banned from playing for periods ranging from one to four years.
Fifty-eight others who had admitted involvement in fixing matches last season were also banned for up to four years.
They were among 150 Malaysian football players and officials arrested in a nation-wide swoop from April to November last year on those suspected of rigging matches in the inaugural premier league.
The Malaysian league turned professional two years ago, and has lost many of its top players in the clampdown following the scandal.