By Andrew Warshaw
October 15 – In the most damaging case of match-fixing ever to strike at the heart of central American football, FIFA has extended worldwide the lifetime bans imposed last month by the El Salvador federation on 14 of its current and past senior internationals.
Two other players have had their six and 18-month suspensions also extended by FIFA.
The FIFA ban relates to all football activity, not just playing for the national team.
The players given life bans were named as goalkeepers Dagoberto Portillo and Miguel Montes; defenders Ramon Flores, Miguel Granadino, Luis Anaya, Mardoqueo Henriquez, Alfredo Pacheco, Marvin Gonzalez and Reynaldo Hernandez; and midfielders Osael Romero, Darwin Bonilla, Dennis Alas, Ramon Sanchez and Christian Castillo. Pacheco, Romero, Gonzalez, Alas and Sanchez have more than 50 caps apiece. In a statement FIFA said it continued “to work closely with member associations and the confederations to tackle match manipulation.”
Matches which had reportedly been rigged include a Gold Cup clash with Mexico in 2011, friendlies against DC United and the United States in 2010 and a fixture against Paraguay earlier this year.
Central America, where many players struggle financially, has become particularly susceptible to match-fixing. Last year Guatemalan internationals Guillermo Ramirez, Gustavo Cabrera and Yony Flores were banned for life.
El Salvador has already been eliminated from next year’s World Cup but that has not lessened the impact in a confederation that has fought hard to clean up its act in recent months. El Salvador FA (FESFUT) president Carlos Mendez said the initial sanctions were imposed following an “exhaustive” probe.
“We have used valuable information which has come from interviews, video accounts from people who have had the strength to declare and help us find those responsible,” he said.
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