Malaysian booters confess to match-rigging: Report

Malaysian booters confess to match-rigging: Report

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Three Malaysian footballers were yesterday reported to having confessed to fixing matches in the national premier league, as the nation's soccer fans remained stunned over the scale of alleged corruption in the game.

Over the past two months, some 51 footballers have been arrested for suspected match-rigging. The Sun daily reported yesterday that three had so far admitted guilt and evidence was mounting for a court case against them.

"Police who checked entries in the players' bank accounts are shocked at the amount of some transactions," the English-language paper said in a front-page story, quoting a senior police officer.

Football lovers have been shocked at the sweeping arrests made by the police and Malaysia's powerful anti-corruption agency since October, after soccer officials said they were determined to root out bribery in the game.

Many soccer fans had expressed their disappointment in local newspapers, which have devoted huge editorials to slam corrupt players and bookies for bringing the sport into disrepute.

The Sun said the three footballers who confessed to match- rigging were from the central state of Selangor.

Five players from the state were arrested last week and Selangor team officials said Saturday all had been dropped from the side.

None of the footballers arrested so far has been charged in court although authorities said they would initiate legal action soon.

The Sun said a report of the trio's confession was being drafted for the attorney-general's office to charge them.

"The investigations are not over, although the players have confessed," the senior police officer told the paper.

Officials said the mass arrests have crippled the nation's football team and Malaysia was considering pulling out from a tournament in Bangladesh starting next month.