El Salvador Bans 14 Soccer Players for Life for Match Fixing

In a follow up to our feature about El Salvador investigating national Soccer players for match fixing they have now handed down lifetime bans on 14 current and former national team players with several others receiving suspensions from one to eighteen months while even more players are still being investigated according to multiple new sources including MLSSoccer.com.

El Salvador Soccer Match Fixing

A couple of days ago El Salvador became the latest country embroiled in a soccer match fixing controversy. The countries soccer federation has suspended 22 national team players as they investigate the matches listed below. Raids took place at the homes of 11 players that included seizures of cell phones, tablets, computers and more. Rumors are that prosecutors do have substantial evidence including money laundering. Federation president Carlos Mendez Cabezas stated that El Salvador will not play games until complaints of these matches are resolved.

• 2-1 loss to the United States in February 2010
• 1-0 loss to D.C. United in July 2010
• 5-0 loss to Mexico in July 2011
• 4-1 loss to Paraguay in February 2012

Nigerian Soccer Players and Officials Banned for Life

Several weeks ago two Nigerian amateur soccer teams were vying for one spot in the professional ranks. In the last game of the season, both The Plateau United Feeders and the Police Machine teams both playing at the same time needed to win and edge the other in goal differential to be promoted. Unfortunately players from both these teams, both their opponents and the officials allowed a free for all of goal scoring. The Police Machine ended up winning 67-0 and the Feeders topped that with a win of 79-0. Obviously suspicious and fixed, the Nigeria Football Federation banned players from all four teams and the match officials for life and the four clubs were suspended for ten years. Hope they enjoyed a lifetime of goals in that one day since they will never score another.

Lebanese Soccer Referees Received Sexual Services to fix a Match

Lebanese soccer referees Ali Sabbagh, Ali Eid and Abdallah Taleb were recently charged with receiving free sexual services to fix an Asian Football Confederation Cup match in Singapore. These are high level officials who have worked games for the Asian Football Confederation, Lebanese top league and matches between national teams. Sounds like the referees received the red card this time for their violations.

Widespread Match Fixing in Soccer

Europol recently announced their findings in a global betting scam run from Singapore that fixed hundreds of soccer matches back to 2008. Approximately 680 suspicious matches including World Cup and European championships qualifying games and the Champions League games were found to have turned up close to the equivalent of $11 million in profits and $2.7 million in bribes. Investigators found 425 participants from 15 countries including players, match officials, club officials and criminals were involved.

Italy's Latest Match-Fixing Scandal

Europe's latest soccer match-fixing scandal comes from Napoli of the Italian Serie A League. According to the Italian Football Federation Napoli was handed a two-point deduction, fined €70,000 and had three players banned over bets placed in 2010 on a match with Sampdoria which they lost 1-0. Defenders Gianluca Grava and Paola Cannavaro were banned from play for six months for their knowledge of the activity without reporting it while former goaltender Matteo Gianello was banned for 39 months after confessing to prosecutors that he attempted to fix the match.

FIFA Executive Mohamed bin Hammam Receives Second Lifetime Ban

Already fighting a separate lifetime ban, FIFA executive committee member Mohmad bin Hammam of Qatar was handed another lifetime ban from all organized soccer events and activities earlier this week. Facing corruption charges, allegations he offered bribes and tampering with bank accounts during his presidency of the Asian Football Confederation all of which are violations of the FIFA Code of Ethics led to his lifetime bans. These allegations prompted Hammam's resignation from all his positions in soccer effective immediately. Not too often will you see executive members being caught but this is a step in the right direction for soccer which has been embroiled in corruption over the past few years.

Europa League Match-Fixing Investigation

July's Europa League qualifier soccer match between Albania's KF Tirana and Norwegian side Aalesund is currently under investigation by Europe's soccer governing body UEFA for possible match-fixing. After a 1-1 first leg, Aalesund blew out KF Tirana 5-0 on the second leg to advance to the next round on a 6-1 aggregate score. Seems like every month we hear of some sort of match-fixing in soccer. As soon as I hear more on this investigation I will post it in the comments.

Match Fixing in Italy's Serie A Soccer League

Last week another Soccer match fixing scandal broke in Italy, this time affecting the top level Serie A league. 19 people including players, coaches and officials have been arrested and the training site of the national team was raided by police. Prosecutors stated that a Hungarian gang with funding from Singapore is likely the group behind recent match fixes at all levels in Italian soccer leagues and elsewhere.

2010 Soccer World Cup Warm-up Matches Controlled by Referees

FIFA reported earlier this week that the South African Football Association was duped into allowing an Asian match fixing syndicate managed by Wilson Perumal to appoint certain referees for certain warm-up international matches played in 2010 prior to the World Cup hosted by South Africa. Perumal has been convicted of match fixing charges in Finland since then. While matches and referees are investigated it just goes to show once again you never know where the fix is being controlled but almost certainly has to do with money. It appears all teams and countries show no evidence to manipulating games.

Soccer Match-Fixing Widespread in Eastern and Southern Europe

The BBC recently reported that match-fixing and other issues in Eastern and Southern Europe are more widespread than most believed. As reported by a survey by FIFPro, 23.6% of players are aware of match-fixing in their league and as high as 43.5% in Russia who will host the 2018 World Cup. They also stated 11.9% of players and as high as 30.3% in Greece have been approached to fix the results of games. The common link found was between players not being paid and fixing games. No matter the reason or level of play it always comes down to money as I always say.

Soccer Corruption

We all know soccer has had quite a few problems with corruption over the last few years and the latest report will give us an idea just how big the problems are. A Swiss court has ruled that a document identifying soccer officials who took millions in kickbacks from World Cup broadcast deals will be released. FIFA will not appeal the ruling so obviously they have come to terms with the corruption the sport has recently seen and trying to move on. As I always say, it's always about money.

Was the MLS Soccer Finale Fixed for Ratings?

Not stating that the MLS soccer finale was fixed but certainly seemed like a calculated game for television ratings. Last Sunday the Los Angeles Galaxy and Houston Dynamo squared off for the MLS Championship which resulted in a riveting 1-0 Galaxy win. This is international star David Beckham's last year on his contract with the Galaxy and may very well have been Landon Donovan's last game as well so how fitting that both superstars were involved in the winning and only goal in the championship game for a sport generally low on ratings in the United States. It was a great season for the Galaxy capped off by a championship but just seemed too good to be true in the finale.

Wayne Rooney's Father Arrested in Betting Scam

Famous Manchester United player Wayne Rooney's father, uncle and seven other people were recently arrested over allegations of a soccer betting scam.  Allegations stem from an irregular betting pattern being bet on a red card being given during a game between Motherwell and Hearts of the Scottish Premier League last December which paid 10/1.  The arrested player for Motherwell, Steve Jennings allegedly got himself sent off deliberately during the match.  Bookmakers noticed the irregular pattern after multiple people bet on this prop which triggered a nine-month investigation.

Corruption Charges by FIFA

The governing body of soccer FIFA has had numerous claims of corruption over the last few years and finally taking a step forward to clean things up.  Three match officials from Bosnia-Herzegovina and three from Hungary have been banned for life from any soccer related activities at the national and international levels.  They were found guilty of unlawfully influencing match results and passive corruption.  This is a start but soccer has a long way to go at all levels of play.

World Cup Suspicions

Everyone loves the underdog and Cinderella stories but something just didn't seem right about the Women's World Cup final between U.S.A. and Japan.  In the weeks after the final many have expressed these same doubts.  No team from the continent of Asia has won the cup and in 25 matches between them Japan has never defeated the U.S.  The shoot out at the end brought up even more suspicion when the first three shots by the U.S. were very uncharacteristic of the team even being mentioned on the live broadcast.  The U.S. had not missed a shoot out shot yet and very good at hiding direction.  Two of the first three in this game were very easy reads and pretty much shot to the goalie while the other was booted well over the goal.  This just seems too easily given away to Japan.  Then we have the storyline of Japan riding emotions for their country in the aftermath of the horrible earthquakes and tsunami's that ravaged the country.  Add it all up and it just seems too good to be true like it was fixed for Japan.  I do think the parity between countries has definitely decreased and will continue to see more competitive games between most countries.  What do you think?

Match Fixing Probe Postpones Turkish Super Cup

Turkish football teams Besiktas and Fenerbahce have been implicated in a match-fixing case.  This probe has led to the postponement of the Turkish Super Cup final between the two teams which was to take place tomorrow with no new date set.  Approximately 30 people have been charged including the deputy chairman and coach of Besiktas and the president of league champ Fenerbahce.  The probe alleges 19 games were fixed.

Women Soccer Players on the Juice Too

Women take steroids to cheat too.  At the soccer Women's World Cup five North Korean players tested positive for a banned anabolic steroid.  The cases will be reviewed by FIFA and each player could face a ban of up to two years.  As usual there is some far fetched story of why they were taking this.  After a lighting strike the players accidentally took the steroids with traditional Chinese medicines which they claim can be confused with each other.  Doesn't make sense and how was it an accident?  You cheated and you got caught.

Corruption in Soccer

We have been hearing it for awhile now and only time will bring out more evidence of corruption in Soccer.  When it reaches to the highest level you know the sport has some issues.  FIFA, the international governing body of football is deep in conflict over recent corruption claims over the World Cup selection process.  The latest allegations came from the U.K. after an inquiry into their failed bid for the 2018 World Cup.  Lord Triesman, former FA head has accused four member of the FIFA executive committee who votes for World Cup hosts of unethical and improper behavior.  These accusations include demands for money and honorary knighthoods.  Last fall two FIFA voters were suspended for similar actions when they tried to sell their World Cup votes.  The World Cup is big business and can potentially generate great sums of money for a host country.  Anything for the almighty dollar.  Not just the players and games but now the governing body is embroiled in sports corruption.

Mexico Soccer Players Test Positive for Banned Substance

At the beginning of the CONCACAF Gold Gup five players from Mexico's soccer team tested positive for a banned substance and were temporarily removed from the tournament.  The illegal substance was clenbuterol which the secretary general of Mexican soccer federation believes came from the players eating contaminated beef.  Regardless of the five players missing time the team still went on to win the Gold Cup.