And here’s hoping they know they did a bad, bad thing, and never do it again.
The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) went easy on 17 Kuala Lumpur players charged with alleged match-fixing with a relatively light sentence of a RM5000 fine each and a stern warning.
FAM Disciplinary Committee chairman Datuk Taufik Razak said the players were let off easy because the FAM has taken into account that they could be victims of of circumstances by their sponsors.
The 17 players had allegedly been warned by their sponsor not to report the match-fixing to authorities, and refrained from doing so out of fear for their safety and the safety of their families.
“The agreement between the Football Association of Kuala Lumpur and the sponsor was dated Nov 12, 2012 but signed only on Dec 11, just two days before the dateline for registration of players.
“The committee feels it was a planned move by the sponsor…the mastermind has been identified but we cannot reveal the identity for safety reasons. We will refer the case to the higher authorities, Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) and the police for action,” he told reporters after chairing the meeting at Wisma FAM, Kelana Jaya.
The 17 players named were Azizon Abdul Kadir, Benedict Martin, Muhammad Syazwan Mohamed Rani, J. Mughilan Kartik, Muhamad Azwan Jatin, S. Sivaraj, Mohamad Amirul Asraf Mohd Noor, Ahmad Dashila Tajudin, Hishamuddin Othman, Mohd Badrul Hisyam Azmi, Muhamad Ar’ra’uf Roslee, Muhammad Hanis Mohtar, Muhammad Rafef Raya, Muhammad Syafiq Johari, Mohd Munir Amran, Muhammad Taufiq Mohd Shukor and Ahmad Jihad Ismail.
Taufik said the players had earlier notified the Kuala Lumpur team management but the hands of the KLFA was also tied as they were indebted to the sponsors under the agreement.
“The players followed orders and not according to sportsmanship by allowing 60 goals in 16 matches,” he said.
On Dec 20, 2013, the FAM Disciplinary Committee banned five players for life and fined them RM20,000 each after finding them guilty of match-fixing and bribery.
Source: New Straits Times
