By Andrew Warshaw
July 17 – Sierra Leone is the latest country to be hit by a serious match-fixing scandal after national team captain Ibrahim Kargbo (pictured) was suspended along with 14 other players and officials. The country’s sports ministry and the Sierra Leone Football Association said the 15 are alleged to have tried to fix the outcome of a 0-0 draw against South Africa in a second round qualifier for the 2010 African Nations Cup.
In a joint statement they said they had received “credible and tangible information” about the 2008 qualifying fixture being allegedly rigged.
The AFP agency said the allegations surrounded a plot for Sierra Leone to throw the game and lose 5-0, a plan it said was thwarted when some players refused to have any part in the conspiracy.
Kargbo, 32, played last season in the Belgian second division but has reportedly just switched to English League One side Swindon Town.
The three other players implicated have been named as Ibrahim Koroma, Samuel Barlay and Christian Caulker. Three of the four of them had been called up to play in this coming Saturday’s African Nations Cup qualifier against Seychelles in Freetown but have now been withdrawn.
The officials suspended include Rodney Michael, who was disqualified from running for Sierra Leone FA president in August last year over allegations that he had links to a sports betting company. Three referees and Sierra Leone’s director of sports, Alphan Koker, are also among the group.
The statement, signed by Sports Minister Paul Kamara and football association president Isha Johansen, said an investigating committee had been set up.
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