June 18 – FIFA has extended bans globally on seven Ugandans implicated in a match-fixing spree in the 2023/2024 season.
The Ugandan FA (FUFA) confirmed that the five players and two referees who had already been barred in Uganda have now had their bans extended by FIFA.
“FIFA has extended worldwide sanctions on Ugandan players and referees who had earlier been suspended by FUFA in 2023 for engaging in match manipulation,” said a communique.
According to the Uganda FA the two referees have been handed 10-year bans each. The five players handed five-year bans are Saleh Maganda (formerly with Calvary FC), Franco Oringa (formerly with Northern Gateway FC), Godfrey Lwesibawa, Yahaya Mahad Kakooza and Andrew Waiswa (all formerly with Gadaffi FC).
“The elevated sanctions have been communicated to the individuals by FIFA and FUFA and start with immediate effect.”
The development came after FUFA announced it had banned 10 referees, two football administrators and one player from all football-related activities for 90 days amid an investigation into their potential involvement in a match-fixing scheme orchestrated by a criminal ring based in South Africa.
According to the Ugandan FA, the operation was led by one Hilfiger Mutyaba, alias ‘Chelsea’, an ex-convict who was previously charged and convicted in the Virgin Islands for financial-related crimes.
Mutyaba and his accomplices are said to have recruited referee Ali Kaddu, who was then tasked with approaching and recruiting club officials, players, and other referees to participate.
Last month, in an unrelated move, the president of FUFA, Moses Magogo, was sanctioned by the United States government after being caught up in allegations of corruption in Uganda. Magoga was included in the US action because of his association with Uganda’s parliamentary speaker, Anita Among, who is his wife.
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