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Asian Roundup Singapore players investigated for match-fixingPosted: Tuesday February 11, 2003 4:53 PMSINGAPORE (AP) -- Eight Singapore soccer players, including a member of the national team, are being investigated for alleged match-fixing and betting on local league matches, officials said Tuesday. Mohamed Noor Ali, a regular on Singapore's national squad, was among the players being investigated by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau, Football Association of Singapore spokesman Quah Kim Song said. Investigation bureau spokesman Yeo Keng Heng confirmed the probe, but declined to comment. The general public can bet on the outcome of matches in Singapore's local S-League, though players and officials are banned from doing so and can face jail terms if found guilty of gambling or match-fixing. In 2001, German player Lutz Pfannenstiel and Australian Mirko Jurilj were jailed for five months for match-fixing in Singapore. Quah said the football association was designing posters to be placed in stadiums and locker rooms to remind players they were not allowed to gamble. "As human beings, we tend to forget sometimes, so it is better to have these posters to remind the players not to bet on matches," Quah said. The Asian Football Confederation Tuesday praised Singapore anti-corruption officials for being vigilant against bribery and corruption. It urged other nations to do more to stop illegal betting. "AFC is fully aware that there is rampant gambling and betting on foreign football seen on television," AFC general-secretary Peter Velappan said in a statement. "It is important for football and police authorities to remain vigilant to protect football from being taken over by gambling syndicates." Velappan said the AFC has urged soccer associations in Asia to cooperate with police and anti-corruption authorities, educate players and officials against corrupt practices, and impose harsh penalties on offenders. Singapore's local league begins in three weeks with China's Sinchi team entering the competition -- the first from outside the city-state to play here. S-Pulse face stern test in AFC Champions LeagueTOKYO (Reuters) -- J-League clubs Shimizu S-Pulse and Kashima Antlers will kick off their Asian Champions League campaigns on March 9 and 10 respectively, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced on Monday. S-Pulse face the tougher draw in group B, facing Chinese champions and group hosts Dalian Shide in their opener on March 9, followed by games with K-League champions Seongnam Ilhwa three days later and Osotspa of Thailand on March 15. Drawn in group A, Kashima travel to Bangkok to play hosts BEC Tero Sasana on March 10, followed by matches against Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua two days later and Taejon Citizen of South Korea on March 14. The $3 million AFC Champions League, launched last northern in order to bring all Asian club competitions under one umbrella, also comprises two groups of four teams from the Middle East. Saudi side Al Hilal and Esteghlal of Iran should contest the one qualifying berth from group C, with Ukbekistan hosts Pakhtakor and Iran's Pirouzi likely to fight for top spot in group D. The top side from each of the four groups advance to the semifinals in April, played on a home-and-away basis. The final will take place in May with the winners set to collect $500,000, the richest prize ever offered by the AFC. Former Korea striker Hwang hangs up bootsSEOUL (Reuters) -- Former South Korea striker Hwang Sun-hong has retired from the game and will take up a coaching role with the Chunnam Dragons, officials of the K-League club said on Monday. The 34-year-old, who helped the co-hosts reach the semifinals of the World Cup last year, had wanted to play this season but decided to hang up his boots after failing to recover from a long-term ankle injury. Hwang scored 50 goals in 103 appearances for his country and played in four World Cups. He had successful spells at J-League clubs Cerezo Osaka and Kashiwa Reysol and almost joined Turkish side Trabzonspor last August before talks broke down. Both the Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. |
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