Criminalise match fixing, football stakeholders tell MPs

Nairobi City Stars Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Patrick Korir has revealed how unknown persons made unsuccessful attempts to convince the club to agree to fix its matches for a handsome amount of money in reward.

The football administrator made the revelation when he appeared on NTV’s Monday night live sports show – SportOn! which is hosted by Bernard Ndong and James Wokabi. 

In the first incident that happened in 2021, Korir revealed that one of his players was being offered $10,000 (Sh1,261,300 as per the current exchange rate) to help fix their FKF-Premier League match against Nzoia Sugar that was held at Narok Stadium.

The person requested the player, whom Korir did not mention, to convince at least three teammates to agree to be part of the deal, and that they were to ensure that Simba wa Nairobi fall to Nzoia.

The request, however, did not go through as the player reported the matter to Korir. The CEO said he advised the player to continue engaging the person, so that they gather more details and evidence about him, with the hope of bringing him to book.

But through FKF, Fifa advised City Stars to tell the player to stop engaging the match fixer on grounds that he might eventually be convinced to cooperate with him.

“I am not part of that (match fixing), and I cannot allow my team (City Stars) to engage in match fixing,” vowed Korir, whose side then went ahead to defeat Nzoia by a solitary goal. 

While match fixing allegations have dogged Kenyan football for many years, it has been rife lately, prompting Football Kenya Federation (FKF) to launch investigation on 17 people who include players, and coaches on allegations of engaging in the vice.

The suspects who include: defender Lennox Ogutu and midfielder Alphonce Ndonye of Mathare United, ex-Gor Mahia goalkeeper Willis Ochieng, Zoo Kericho FC players; Hamidu Kwizera Lucas and Vincent Misikhu have been suspended from all football activities.

The other incident happened just minutes before they faced Kenya Police in another FKF-PL match at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani Annex.

The CEO disclosed that someone who identified himself as a president of a betting company in Turkey contacted him via WhatApp, imploring on him to share with him beforehand the results of the contest, so that they could have the match on their betting platform.

Korir said the person informed him that he got his mobile number from one of his players. 

He stopped engaging him immediately he learnt that he was attempting to lure him to manipulate the match.  

“It is that easy (to convince players or club officials to fix matches),” said Korir, adding that it was during the mandate of the FKF Caretaker Committee in 2021 and 2022 that the vice got rife in Kenya since matches were not being monitored. 

He also accused match officials of being part of the scheme, singling out their 2-1 loss to hosts Bandari at Mbaraki Sport Club as one of the matches they suspect the referee was involved in match fixing.

The Dockers' winning goal was scored from the spot following a foul on Umaru Kasumba in the box.

FKF are yet to respond to a letter City Stars wrote to it, and Fifa demanding that the match be replayed and the match’s officials be investigated. 

Speaking on the same show, Kenya Footballers Welfare Association (KEFWA) Education Officer Dan Omari said Kenyan footballers and club officials are easy targets in match fixing since their welfare is not well catered for.

But he said it is "very difficult" to prove match fixing.

One of the ways FKF has moved to curb the vice is by ensuring that all players sign integrity forms.

On the other hand, Fifpro has come up with a red button through which players can report match fixing without revealing their details.

Korir said it is important for all matches to be recorded to provide evidence of suspect officiating for investigation, and that parliament should move with speed to enact laws that criminalise match fixing.

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