DOHA (Qatar): Three Indonesian badminton players and an executive from a sports equipment company were banned for life for match-fixing, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) said on Friday.
The hearings for both cases concluded in late 2020, and the reasoned decisions of the BWF Independent Hearing Panel (IHP) have been communicated to the parties.
Both cases involved whistleblowers who reported information to the BWF about corrupt behaviour including approaches to fix a match or to manipulate part of their match for money.
Eight Indonesian players who knew each other, and competed in lower-level international competitions mostly in Asia up until 2019, breached BWF Integrity Regulations related to match fixing, match manipulation and/or betting on badminton.
Another five Indonesian players were suspended for between six and 12 years and fined up to $12,000 each, the BWF said in a statement.
BWF said all eight Indonesian players had competed in lower-level international competitions in Asia up until 2019.
The three banned for life had “coordinated and organised others into being complicit in the (dishonest) behaviour”, it said.
The BWF Independent Hearing Panel found that the players had breached the body’s integrity regulations related to match-fixing, match manipulation and betting on badminton, it said.
Separately a Malaysian representative of an equipment brand that sponsors international players was suspended from the sport for life.
“… the individual had approached international athletes and offered money to manipulate matches …,” BWF said.
He “abused his position of influence as an executive in a sporting brand in an attempt to corrupt international badminton and enrich himself”, it quoted the panel as saying.
(Source: BWF)
