March 19 – Two English players have had life bans extended worldwide by FIFA for fixing matches in Australia’s second-tier Victorian Premier League.
Defender Reiss Noel and goalkeeper Joe Woolley, who both played for Southern Stars, pleaded guilty in December to rigging games on the instruction of betting syndicates based in Malaysia and Hungary.
The two players were subsequently given lifetime bans by the Football Federation of Australia (FFA) and these have now been extended worldwide by FIFA’s disciplinary committee.
FIFA said two other British players and one Australian team official were still under FFA bans in relation to the same criminal investigations being conducted by Victoria police.
The group are alleged to have worked with a match-fixing syndicate that generated more than $2 million in winnings. Segaran ‘Gerry’ Gsubramaniam, a Malaysian citizen described as the middleman between the Southern Stars and Asian betting syndicates, is awaiting sentence.
The multi-million dollar racket was smashed by police in September.
The masterminds of the Asian matchfixing epidemic routinely choose minor, little-known leagues to work their scams. Southern Stars play in the 12-team second-tier Victorian Premier League and the allegations relate to a run of four games in which they conceded 13 goals without replying. The four English players were all in English non-league football before moving Down Under.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734832279labto1734832279ofdlr1734832279owedi1734832279sni@w1734832279ahsra1734832279w.wer1734832279dna1734832279