FIFA warn South Africa government against interfering in match-fixing scandals

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FIFA have written to the South African Government to warn it against carrying out a judicial inquiry into the recent football match-fixing scandals in the country. FIFA said the matter should rather be handled by the country's football association.
Several of South Africa's warm-ups before they hosted the 2010 World Cup were found to have been fixed, which led to the brief suspension of senior South African Football Association (SAFA) officials, including its president Kirsten Nematandani.
South Africa's Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee, SASCOC, recommended a judicial commission of inquiry but FIFA warned them of possible consequences should the government be seen to be intervening in football matters.
South Africa's sports minister Fikile Mbalula told local media he would travel to FIFA headquarters in Zurich next week to discuss the issue with the world football's governing body.
``SASCOC have made a recommendation to us that we must go ahead with a judicial commission of inquiry into the matter," Mbalula said.
``Match-fixing is about fraud, corruption and mismanagement. There is a rule of law in South Africa. Where there are suspicions, they must be investigated. SAFA must understand that you can't be a referee and player at the same time," he said.
SAFA vice president Danny Jordaan told Reuters his organisation had already asked police to investigate the matter.
Nematandani and four other top officials were briefly suspended following the handing over in December by FIFA to SAFA of a 500-page investigation into the activities of Wilson Raj Perumal and his Football 4U organisation.
But within a month their suspension was lifted on procedural grounds.


Source: NAN

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