VERDICT: GUILTY

BWF to announce duo’s fate this week

ARELIABLE source with close links to the Badminton World Federation (BWF) has disclosed that the world body are expected to hand out a guilty verdict to the two Malaysian shuttlers for matchfixing.

The BWF are expected to make an official statement on the verdict this week.

It is learnt that the two independent shuttlers will take their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) if the verdict by BWF do not favour them.

Under BWF rules, a player can be banned for life if found guilty of match-fixing.

“It doesn’t look good for them. I believe the BWF will ban the two,” said the source yesterday.

“From what I have heard, the two players will challenge if found guilty by BWF at the CAS (in Lausanne).

“Both are keeping a very low profile in hope for a positive outcome... you don’t see or hear them talking to anyone about anything.”

Both the players have got six charges of match-fixing in tournaments between 2013-2016 against them, after a report was lodged to the BWF by a non-Malaysian shuttler in 2016.

The BWF then appointed a three-man independent panel, which held a two-day hearing in Singapore recently.

The world governing body have so far not officially named the two players called up for the hearing.

However, former world junior champion (2011) Zulfadli Zulkiffli and 2010 Thomas Cupper Tan Chun Seang were seen attending the hearing.

On whether the world body would call for a press conference, the source said: “I don’t think so, they would probably just put up an official announcement on their website.”