SINGAPORE: Lifetime bans imposed on four players who had fixed matches over two decades ago have been lifted by the Council of the Football Association of Singapore, FAS announced in a statement on Thursday (Dec 21).
The decision was made upon receipt of appeals from the four individuals — Mizan Bin Ulot, Manap Bin Hamat, Abdul Malek bin Mohammad, and Zulkifli Kartoyoho.
Between 1995 and 1998, the FAS Disciplinary Committee, an independent panel of the FAS, imposed lifetime bans on Mizan, Manap, Abdul Malek, and Zulkifli.
In 1995, Mizan was convicted of fixing two local club matches and was jailed and fined. He had entered a guilty plea to having accepted the offer from a bookie to ensure that his club, Changi United, would lose to Tiong Bahru Football Club by two goals and another one for receiving money from that bookie for a tied game that he had played in, albeit for a different team.
Manap and Abdul Malek were convicted two years later for fixing games between Balestier Central FC and Tampines Rovers FC. After the two were found guilty, they were also slapped with fines and ended up doing jail time.
The two men conspired with a bookie named Wilson Raj Perumal. After the bookie had first talked to Manap, a defender, with the suggestion to fix matches, Manap then approached goalie Abdul Malek, who participated in the fraudulent schemes.
The bookie arranged with the two players for Balestier to defeat Tampines twice. Zulkifli was banned for having conspired with Manap and Malek. However, the one-time International player was acquitted.
FAS said in its statement that its council, authorised to review this matter and empowered to revoke lifetime bans, assessed the appeals of the four men, considering the circumstances of the violation and the punishment given out by the court.
“After having thoroughly considered all of these factors, the Council decided to lift the bans imposed on Manap, Mizan, Abdul Malek, and Zulkifli from 21 December 2023,” the statement said, adding that the Council noted that all four men had served more than 25 years of suspension, as well as court-imposed sentences such including jail terms. The men have also kept clean records since the incidents took place.
“The FAS believes in the principles of fairness, justice, and the opportunity for redemption. The FAS Council had undertaken a thorough and comprehensive assessment of the appeals presented by Manap Bin Hamat, Mizan Bin Ulot, Abdul Malek bin Mohammad, and Zulkifli Kartoyoho, and after extensive consideration and discussion, the Council has decided to lift the lifetime bans imposed on them,” said FAS President Bernard Tan.
“This compassionate decision reflects our commitment to balancing punitive measures with a belief in the potential for rehabilitation, while reaffirming that our stance against match-fixing remains unwavering. The FAS is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of integrity within Singaporean football, ensuring a clean, competitive, and vibrant environment for all stakeholders.”
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