Suspected match-fixer arrested in Italy after S'pore tip-off

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Suspected match-fixer arrested in Italy after S'pore tip-off

February 22, 2013 - 12:48am

By: Zaihan Mohamed Yusof

Admir Suljic, an ex-footballer who was convicted of match-fixing in Croatia in 2010, was arrested at Milan’s Malpensa airport after arriving on a flight from Singapore.

Singapore authorities had tipped off their Italian counterparts about his travel plans.

The Slovenian, a “key element” linking a crime syndicate in Singapore to its counterparts in the Balkans, is wanted by judicial authorities in the city of Cremona who are investigating a major match-fixing case that has seen the arrests of more than 50 people.

Interpol General Secretary Ronald K. Noble revealed the impending arrest of Suljic yesterday at the Interpol and Asian Football Confederation seminar in Kuala Lumpur.

Read the full report in The New Paper on Friday (Feb 22).

 

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Fifa security chief on match fixing: Not right to sanction Singapore FA

February 21, 2013 - 1:00am

By: Zaihan Mohamed Yusof

TNP PHOTO: Zaihan Mohamed Yusof

The head of security of world football governing body Fifa, Mr Ralf Mutschke (above), said it is not right to sanction Singapore from participating in international competitions.

He was answering queries following Europol’s announcement a fortnight ago that almost 700 matches worldwide had been manipulated by a Singapore crime syndicate, allegedly headed by Singaporean Dan Tan Seet Eng, who remains a free man.

The foreign media had criticised Singapore authorities for apparently being unwilling to do anything about Tan, even when Interpol had issued an “international arrest warrant” against him.

Said Mr Mutschke at the Asian Football Confederation and Interpol seminar in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Wednesday: “If we are talking about sanctioning, we are talking about personal guilt and I think Singapore FA (football association) is not guilty..."