AFC extends lifetime ban against Vietnamese players for match manipulation

A Vissai Ninh Binh player celebrates a goal against Dong Tam Long An in a top-flight V-League match in 2014 season. Photo: Minh Tu

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has extended a domestic life ban imposed on nine Vietnamese soccer players to have regional effect for their involvement in a match fixing scandal.

Under the ban issued by the governing body of soccer matches in Asia, the former players of V-league club Vissai Ninh Binh will not be allowed to play at any regional league.

Vietnam Football Federation announced the lifetime ban for them last December, along with an additional fines of VND20 million (US$935) each.

The players violated VFF’s regulations involving gambling and match manipulation, which stipulates fines of up to VND30 million and indefinite ban from playing football, according to the decision.

One of the banned player, defender Tran Manh Dung, in August 2014 was sentenced by a court of Ninh Binh Province to 30 months in jail for fixing an AFC’s match against Malaysia’s Kelantan on March 18, 2014.

Eight other players from the Vissai Ninh Binh Club were handed suspended sentences for betting on the same match.

The Hai Phong bookie who took the bets, Dao Duc Loi, got 30 months in jail for organizing the scheme.

The court also fined Loi and nine players between VND20 million and VND25 million (US$945-1,180) each.

The Vietnamese football federation in April also imposed a lifetime ban against six players of V-league club Dong Nai in relation to match manipulation.

These players are also facing criminal charges for allegedly fixing their away match against Than Quang Ninh on July 20, 2013, which Dong Nai lost 5-3, according to the police.

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