AFF on match-fixing alert

THE recent suspension of four Laos players for suspected match-fixing has triggered alarm bells ahead of the AFF Cup.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) provisionally suspended the players for 60 days last week for alleged match manipulation in the Solidarity Cup, held in Kuching, and also other games since 2010.

Asean Football Federation (AFF) secretary Datuk Seri Azzuddin Ahmad said co-hosts Myanmar and the Philippines are taking proactive steps to stop bookies.

“We are stepping things up following the suspension of the four Laotian players. AFF are working closely with the enforcement agencies of Myanmar and the Philippines, and they have been told to take comprehensive initiatives to monitor possible match manipulation activities during the AFF Cup,” Azzuddin told Timesport yesterday.

“Stay away from match-fixers...we are keeping a close eye. We have also engaged data providers Sportsradar to detect match-fixing through betting trends. Sportsradar were also engaged for the 2012 and 2014 editions.”

“If we find any evidence of matchfixing in the AFF Cup, the case will be referred to the AFC for further action.”

Southeast Asia has long been regarded as a hotbed for match-fixing.

Among the recent cases recorded was involving Vietnam in 2014.

Nine players from Vietnamese club Ninh Binh were suspended after they were found guilty of fixing an AFC Cup match against Kelantan that year.

Malaysia’s 4-2 win over Vietnam in the semi-final, return leg in Hanoi in the AFF Cup two years ago was first thought to be fixed but Sportsradar could not detect any unusual betting treads to suggest that the result was manipulated.

The Vietnam FA then conducted an internal investigation on five players but did not find any proof.

Malaysia grabbed headlines last week when former Fifa security head Chris Eaton claimed that Malaysia was the new match-fixing hub in the region.

Azzuddin, however, is not convinced with Eaton’s comments.

“Eaton has no creditability. In 2012, he claimed that a FAM official was allegedly involved in match-fixing but he could not provide us with anything. He likes to jump the gun,” said the former FA of Malaysia general-secretary.

Azzuddin also touched on the proposed new format for the AFF Cup that could be implemented in the 2018 edition.

“The proposal is to scrap the qualifying tournament. There will be two groups, and teams will play each other home and away. An announcement will be made in December. We are 90 per cent sure it will be implemented.

“The duration of the tournament will be longer. It may take two months to complete. Member countries had proposed the new format in last year’s council meeting.

“The proposal came from the affiliates and they may need to review their domestic schedule to accommodate the tournament,” Azzuddin added.