The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has detained a Selangor state football coach over match-fixing during the President's Cup U-20 youth tournament and charged Singaporean R.K. Rajendran, a bookie, with match-fixing in connection with the same tournament. Another football coach, from Negeri Sembilan state, Yusarman Yusof, was charged with match-fixing earlier this month.
"We urge the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate and nail anyone involved in match-fixing," commented Azzuddin Ahmad, General Secretary of the Football Association of Malaysia. "They are destroying our football," he told AFP.
He also called on individuals involved in corruption to surrender. "For those who are involved in match-fixing, it is better that you own up before it is too late," he said when asked if more people could be arrested for graft.
Azzuddin said he hoped the sport would not see a repeat of an infamous 1994 case when more than 100 players including national footballers were suspended and banned for match-fixing. "I feel very sad and disappointed that after all our efforts to improve our football, corruption has crept into the sport," he added.
"We urge the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate and nail anyone involved in match-fixing," commented Azzuddin Ahmad, General Secretary of the Football Association of Malaysia. "They are destroying our football," he told AFP.
He also called on individuals involved in corruption to surrender. "For those who are involved in match-fixing, it is better that you own up before it is too late," he said when asked if more people could be arrested for graft.
Azzuddin said he hoped the sport would not see a repeat of an infamous 1994 case when more than 100 players including national footballers were suspended and banned for match-fixing. "I feel very sad and disappointed that after all our efforts to improve our football, corruption has crept into the sport," he added.