New Delhi, in a shocking revelation, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) disclosed that multiple players from I-League clubs have been approached to fix matches in the ongoing season. AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey stated, “We have received information of multiple approaches to our players,” emphasizing the need for a thorough examination and decisive action.
The federation, while not disclosing specific names, affirmed its commitment to investigating and addressing the attempts to “manipulate matches” within the country’s second-tier competition, which involves 13 clubs. Chaubey assured that the AIFF would enhance its system to counter such threats and implement educational initiatives for players and officials to identify and report corrupt practices.
The AIFF’s anti-corruption unit, established a decade ago following a Malaysian betting syndicate’s approach to Indian players, is at the forefront of this investigation. Despite the unit’s integrity officer, Javed Siraj, being unavailable for comment, a senior AIFF official, speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged the gravity of the situation. The official mentioned, “A few players reported similar approaches, and results of a couple of matches raised our doubts,” highlighting that a clearer picture would emerge only after the investigation concludes.
This incident echoes a similar episode in 2018 when an I-League club reported players being approached via social media for match-fixing. The current developments underscore the persistent challenges faced by Indian football in combating corruption within its ranks.
By Reuters
