South Africa duped by fixers before World Cup
Reuters - Monday 05 March 2012, 16:33
South Africa were duped into
allowing an Asian match-fixing syndicate to provide them with
referees for a series of warm-up games before they hosted the
2010 World Cup, FIFA security chief Chris Eaton said on Monday.
The outcome of friendly internationals against Thailand,
Colombia, Bulgaria and Guatemala in the weeks leading up to the
tournament are all in question after FIFA found the match
officials had been provided by a Singapore-based company,
fronting for match fixers.
Eaton said the South African Football Association had taken
up an offer from Wilson Perumal, who has since been convicted in
Finland on match fixing charges, to use his company for the
procurement of referees for the games.
"It is clear that the convicted criminal and football
match-fixer, Wilson Raj Perumal, was involved in convincing SAFA
to agree to a company then managed by him (Football4U) to
select, fund and appoint referees to certain international
matches played in 2010, which are now under investigation,"
Eaton said in a statement released on his behalf by the South
Africans on Monday.
It follows a four-day trip by FIFA's outgoing security
director to Johannesburg to interview those involved and
investigate any potential duplicity.
Eaton suggested the South Africans were duped rather than
complicit in any deceit.
"It should also be said that to date there is no
information, suggestion or evidence that any player or team,
including the national South Africa team, was in any way
complicit with any attempt to manipulate a match outcome," he
said.
South Africa usually invites match officials from
neighbouring countries to handle home friendly matches but
agreed to Perumal's offer that he fly in officials from Kenya,
Niger and Togo for the four matches.
DISPUTED PENALTIES
South Africa were handed two disputed penalties in beating
Colombia 2-1 when they played at Soccer City in Johannesburg on
May 27. One of the kicks was ordered retaken twice after the
initial efforts were both saved. Colombia's goal also came from
a penalty.
South Africa's 5-0 win over Guatemala in Polokwane four days
later saw them awarded a further two spot-kicks.
Among the referees was Ibrahim Chaibou from Niger, already
suspended by FIFA for involvement in other match fixing
allegations in Bahrain and Nigeria.
Eaton's investigation is the first into the affair despite
SAFA being aware of the allegations for more than a year after
tabloid newspaper revelations.
"This investigation will be concluded as fast as humanly
possible, while respecting due process and extending full
opportunities for anyone to contribute to arriving at the
complete truth of these matters," Eaton added.
The embattled South African association is already reeling
under the embarrassment of its national team failing last year
to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations finals because they did
not understand the rules and Eaton's statement will add to a
picture of a bungling and gullible organisation.
SAFA president Kirsten Nematandani said his organisation had
co-operated fully.