BRIBERY and match-fixing are scourges that are destroying soccer, the head of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said Thursday, vowing to stamp them out and keep the continent’s soccer clean.

AFC President Mohamed Bin Hammam praised Singapore’s swift action in reporting a case of attempted match-fixing of an AFC Cup match this week and vowed to get to the bottom of the matter.

“Bribery and match-fixing by illegal betting syndicates are scourges … AFC will take all possible measures to fight against such elements who are corrupting the game,” Bin Hammam said.

Singapore’s Football Association (FAS) alerted the AFC and Singapore’s Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau late Tuesday after an unidentified man approached two players from Maldives side Victory SC and offered them bribes to throw their match against Home United. “AFC welcomes the initiative and urgency shown by FAS in this matter,” said Bin Hammam.

Last year, a Vietnamese court sentenced four referees to jail for bribery and match-fixing.

(SD-Agencies)