FIFA bans 7 Players for life and 1 Kenyan player banned for 10 years over match fixing

ZURICH (Reuters) – Seven current and former players from various countries have been banned for life for their involvement in a match-manipulation following an investigation lasting several years, soccer’s governing body FIFA said on Wednesday.

FIFA said the investigation centred around matches which convicted Singapore-based match fixer Wilson Raj Perumal attempted to manipulate for betting purposes.

FIFA named the players as Karlon Murray and Keyeno Thomas from Trinidad, Ibrahim Kargbo (Sierra Leone), Hellings Mwakasungula (Malawi), Seidath Tchomogo (Benin), Leonel Duarte (Cuba) and Mohammad Salim Israfeel Kohistani (Afghanistan).

In addition, a Kenyan player George Owino Audi was given a 10-year ban and Zimbabwean players’ agent Kudzanai Shaba was banned for life. FIFA did not give any details on which matches they had attempted to influence. (Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru and Brian Homewood, editing by Pritha Sarkar)