FIFA Extends Match-Fixing Bans for Italian & South Korean Players

Soccer’s governing body, FIFA have announced they have extended bans for Italian and South Korean players.

70 bans from the Italian Football Federation, including 11 lifetime ones, had been extended after players and officials had been sanctioned for match-fixing in various hearings.

FIFA said in a statement: “Once all domestic processes were complete, the Chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, swiftly decided to extend those domestic suspensions and bans that have not yet expired and/or have not been annulled on appeal. This has resulted in the extension worldwide of 76 sanctions, of which 11 are life bans. In the case of two players of foreign nationality (from Sierra Leone and Cameroon), the two respective national associations are also in the process of being notified of FIFA’s decisions.” 

FIFA said bans were also extended in the cases of four South Koreans.

FIFA has been especially keen to be seen to be cracking down on corruption since European anti-crime agency Europol announced on Feb. 4 that around 680 matches were suspected of being fixed in a global betting scam run from Singapore.