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SA Football calls for independent match-fixing probe
May 1, 2013, 12:49 pm

[Getty Images]

A FIFA 2014 World Cup Qualifier match between South Africa and Central African Republic [Getty Images]

The South African Football Association on Tuesday called for an independent probe into claims that it was involved in match-fixing schemes before the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The government should expedite investigations into match-fixing allegations involving the national team Bafana Bafana, a SAFA delegation told a Parliament Committee.

“We urge the government to set up an independent judicial commission of inquiry into these rumours as soon as possible,” said Safa National Executive Committee member Poobalan Govindasamy.

South Africa reached an agreement with FIFA last month that an independent inquiry should be set up to deal with match-fixing allegations.

Match fixing was suspected in South Africa’s friendly matches against Thailand, Colombia, Bulgaria and Guatemala in the weeks leading up to the World Cup following a revelation that the match officials had been provided by Football 4U, a football development front company, run by match-fixer Wilson Raj Perumal from Singapore, who was found guilty of rigging South Africa’s international friendlies ahead of the 2010 World Cup.

After running a global match-fixing syndicate Perumal was convicted in Finland in 2011.

During the games, SAFA intervened and appointed their own officials, to replace the international referees recruited and supplied by Perumal’s company, for the fifth and final friendly versus Denmark.

Football 4U allegedly infiltrated SAFA and paid the association for match fixing prior to the 2010 World Cup, according to a FIFA investigation.

SAFA has been under fire for its alleged role in the match-fixing.

A new SAFA leadership will be elected in September this year to revive the embattled association.

Source: Agencies