South African FA president suspended following match-fixing probeDecember 18, 2012 - 10:29 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The president of the South African Football Association and four leading officials have been suspended after FIFA found "compelling evidence" that friendly internationals were fixed by Far East betting syndicates, BBC News reported. Kirsten Nematandani, new Safa chief executive officer Dennis Mumble and three others were relieved of their duties while an investigation takes place into their alleged part in the fixing of four matches in the run-up to the 2010 World Cup. A FIFA investigation discovered that Safa was infiltrated by convicted Singaporean match-fixer Wilson Perumal and his Football 4U organization. Perumal organized referees for the games against Thailand, Bulgaria, Colombia and Guatemala, the outcomes of which were found to have been pre-arranged to benefit an Asian betting syndicate. A statement on the Safa website said the organization "accepted FIFA's report as received" and added that "a commission of enquiry will be set up, under the leadership of a retired judge, to fully investigate the matter and the members cited in the report". The report added: "Safa apologized to FIFA and undertook to take the urgent and serious actions to deal with the matter." Top stories Armenian gymnast, Olympic bronze medalist Artur Davtyan has reached the finals of the World Cup. Gor Manvelyan has denied reports alleging that he has expressed a desire to one day play for the French national team. Roma midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan is not considering FC Spartak Moscow as his next haven, according to fresh reports. 10 Armenian lifters will compete in the 2021 World Championships scheduled to be held from 7 to 17 December in Tashkent. Partner news | Police try to impede Armenian Church head’s access to war memorial Police tried to stop the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Catholicos Karekin II, from visiting a war memorial. Greece says ready to help as Armenia fights flooding consequences Greece is ready to assist Armenia in combatting the consequences of deadly floods in the country’s north. “He will leave”: Protest leader no longer demands meeting with Pashinyan Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan no longer demands a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Lemkin Institute petition seeks release of Armenians in Azerbaijan The Lemkin Institute is deeply concerned about the continued illegal detention of political prisoners from Karabakh in Azerbaijan. |