Following a tip-off regarding cheating in the national league, Kenya’s football federation has suspended 14 players and two coaches over match-fixing allegations.
Six players from Zoo Kericho FC, which was booted from the Kenyan Premier League in 2021 after being found guilty of match-fixing by FIFA’s integrity unit, were among those suspended.
A player from reigning Kenyan Premiership, Tusker, was among those charged, according to the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), who stated they had all been suspended pending a full investigation.
“Football Kenya Federation has received confidential reports alleging the involvement of various players and officials in match fixing activities,” the organisation said in a statement posted on its website.
“In an effort to protect the integrity of the league … the federation has with immediate effect provisionally suspended these individuals pending the investigations of the matter by the FIFA and FKF integrity department.”
All FKF members were urged by the organization to “avoid any sporting-related contact” with the suspended players and coaches while they were on suspension.
Due to a “international conspiracy” to rig league matches, FIFA banned four Kenyan players in February 2020, including one for life.
Following the same scandal, five Kenyan referees were later suspended.
After being suspended by FIFA in February 2022 over alleged misappropriation of funds and appointing a caretaker committee, Kenya returned to international football in November.
Kenya was subject to a three-month FIFA suspension in 2004 due to interference from the national government, but things were later resolved after Kenya accepted to draw up new statutes.
Author-Roberta Appiah
