Asian confederation imposes life bans for Laos match-fixing
Twenty-two players and officials banned for life for match manipulation
Kuala Lumpur: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Disciplinary Committee has issued a life ban from football-related activities to twenty-two individuals from Laos and Cambodia for involvement in the manipulation of matches involving the representative teams of Laos and the club side Lao Toyota FC.
Saynakhonevieng Phommapanya (provisionally suspended in November 2016) Chintana Souksavath (provisionally suspended in November 2016) Moukda Souksavath (provisionally suspended in November 2016) MPhatthana Syvilay (provisionally suspended in November 2016)
Of the 22 individuals, 15 are current or former Laos or Lao Toyota FC players.
The AFC investigation into the manipulation of matches involving the representative teams of the Lao Football Federation commenced in 2014 and remains ongoing. The investigation has been supported by Sportradar and the FIFA Integrity Unit. In order to protect the integrity of the investigation, specific details including the relevant matches will not be disclosed.
The AFC has a zero-tolerance policy on match-fixing and its regulations provide for tough sanctions for match manipulation.
The decisions have been notified to the Lao Football Federation and the Football Federation of Cambodia. The AFC will request FIFA to extend the bans to have world-wide effect.
The Asian Football Confederation has banned 15 current or former players for life for match-fixing.
They are among 22 people from Laos and Cambodia issued with life bans by the AFC disciplinary committee for manipulating matches involving Laos national teams and club side Lao Toyota. The banned players represented Laos or Lao Toyota.
The AFC says its match-fixing investigation is ongoing so "specific details including the relevant matches will not be disclosed." The regional governing body wants FIFA to extend the bans globally.
