体坛英语新闻：SAFA president sacked over match fixing scandal

CAPE TOWN, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- South African sports authorities on Monday suspended South African Football Association (SAFA) president Kirsten Nematandani over his alleged involvement in a match fixing scandal prior to the 2010 World Cup.

Four other officials, including new chief executive officer Dennis Mumble, were also sacked from their posts, according to SAFA.

The move came after a FIFA investigation found that five South African sports officials were linked to the scandal.

Match fixing was suspected in SAFA's friendly matches against Thailand, Colombia, Bulgaria and Guatemala in the weeks leading up to the World Cup following revelation that the match officials had been provided by Football 4U, a football development front company, run by match-fixer Wilson Raj Perumal from Singapore, who was found guilty of rigging South Africa's international friendlies ahead of the 2010 World Cup. After running a global match-fixing syndicate Perumal was convicted in Finland in 2011.

During the games, SAFA intervened and appointed their own officials, to replace the international referees recruited and supplied by Perumal's company, for the fifth and final friendly versus Denmark.

Football 4U infiltrated SAFA and paid the association for match fixing prior to the 2010 World Cup, according to the FIFA investigation.

The investigation identifies various SAFA officials who interacted with Football 4U.

SAFA issued a statement last week, saying it had also found "compelling evidence" that the pre-World Cup friendlies were fixed.

"Perumal and Football 4U managed to infiltrate SAFA prior to the World Cup, with an offer to assist with referee development. The offer included providing FIFA-accredited Referees at their cost for the friendly matches prior to the FIFA 2010 World Cup," the statement said.

Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana will act as SAFA president with immediate effect while Pinky Lehoko comes in as acting CEO, SAFA said.