Match-fixing scandal rocks Laos football team in Asean Cup
KUALA LUMPUR: Southeast Asian football has been plunged into corruption turmoil after the Lao Football Federation (LFF) called for a high-level investigation into alleged match-fixing, bribery, and illegal gambling involving members of its own national team.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Lao Football Federation has launched an urgent investigation into alleged match-fixing, bribery and illegal gambling involving Laos' national football team, according to the Southeast Asian country's sports authority. The probe follows a series of suspect performances by the Lao side during the ongoing Asean Hyundai Cup, a regional football tournament.
According to documents obtained by Timesport, LFF leaders summoned an emergency hearing on August 2 and August 6, questioning every member of the national squad. Preliminary investigations into match data, statements from players, and internal evidence have reportedly revealed "probable cause and suspicious information" indicating deliberate manipulation of results.
Four Laos players are currently under suspicion, though their names have not been disclosed. The scandal has impacted Laos' performance in the Asean Cup, as they were eliminated in the group stage after defeats to Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines and Myanmar.
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