Sports

Zambia Denies Registration Of Banned Players

Published

13 years ago

March 1, 2013

The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has denied that it transferred and registered players while they were banned for match-fixing in Finland.

FIFA has opened an investigation into the matter, which involves eight players who were allegedly transferred without an international transfer certificate and outside of the registration period.

Football’s world governing body has said that “at least four of the eight players apparently played in official matches in Zambia despite being suspended on a worldwide basis.”

The Zambian players were banned from all football-related activity by the Finnish federation for two years from April 2011 for match-fixing and unsporting behaviour.

Fifa subsequently extended the ban worldwide.

Eric Mwanza, FAZ’s communications manager and spokesman, noted.

Sport that the body did all it could to ensure the players’ suspensions had been fully served before they were given permission to play again.

“Because the players had served their punishments in Finland, meted out by the Finnish FA and the Finnish courts they were free to play,” he said.

“We are very confident the case will be dropped”

“Those players who had served their bans registered with one or two clubs in Zambia. We registered them at the start of the 2012 season.

“One or two players featured in the first two weeks of the season, before Fifa imposed a worldwide ban on the players.

“The moment that happened we applied that ban locally and suspended the players in line with what was an additional sanction from the world governing body.”

Fifa began disciplinary proceedings against Faz on 19 February and invited the body to explain its reasoning along with any appropriate documentary evidence.

Mwanza is confident that his organisation can show it has done nothing wrong.

“We welcome the investigation. We would like to state very clearly that we detest the abhorrent acts that bring the good name of the game into a bad light,” he said.

“We do not condone whatsoever any acts of match-fixing. Our position is well known and very clear, there would be severe sanctions and punishment, but we have not had incidents of this nature in our football.

“We are happy to provide all the information to FIFA so it can look at the circumstances under which one or two players played in the first weeks of the season, and how we acted swiftly to impose the ban later communicated to us by FIFA.

“Not one of these players has played in the league since FIFA’s ban came into force. All the documentation is ready and we hope the matter can be cleared.

“We are very confident the case will be dropped.”

Singaporean Wilson Raj Perumal was sentenced to two years in prison last year for fixing matches in Finland in a scandal that saw nine players suspended.

A Lapland district court statement at the time said Perumal had been part of an international organised group that tried to fix matches played by Rovaniemi club between June 2008 and February 2011.

Perumal paid players up to 20,000 Euros (US$26,400) per match and received up to 50,000 Euros, in addition to some of the betting profits, each time the results were fixed.

Match-fixing has become a huge concern for football authorities with European police and prosecutors saying this month that hundreds of games may have been rigged by a syndicate being run from Singapore.

Sports

Tottenham’s Miserable Run Continues

Published

16 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

Relegation-threatened Tottenham’s miserable 2026 continued as their winless run extended to 10 league games with Fulham gaining a deserved victory to boost their hopes of qualifying for European football.

Fulham, who scored twice in the opening six minutes in their 2-1 win over Spurs in November, again got an early goal with Harry Wilson netting in the seventh minute.

However, the goal was controversial as new Spurs boss Igor Tudor felt it should have been disallowed as home striker Raul Jimenez pushed Radu Dragusin as they challenged for a Kenny Tete cross, before Oscar Bobb picked out Wilson to volley home from six yards out.

Tottenham had a similar goal ruled out last week in their 4-1 loss to Arsenal for a foul by Randal Kolo Muani on Gunners defender Gabriel but, following a check from the video assistant referee (VAR) Craig Pawson, Fulham’s goal was allowed to stand, much to Tudor’s fury.

Spurs, though, had no excuses for the 34th-minute second goal with Alex Iwobi left with space to shoot home superbly from 18 yards out, with the ball going in off the inside of the post after a neat exchange with Wilson.

Sports

City Survive Leeds’ Challenge At Elland Road

Published

16 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

Antoine Semenyo scored just before half-time as title-chasing Manchester City escaped Elland Road with victory over an energetic Leeds United.

The hard-earned outcome narrowed Arsenal’s lead to two points at the top of the Premier League.

City travelled to West Yorkshire without their Leeds-born star striker Erling Haaland who was injured in training, and it looked for large periods in the first half that they would rue not having their top goalscorer available.

But Ghana international Semenyo stretched to convert Rayan Ait-Nouri’s fizzed low ball into the penalty area for his sixth City goal since joining from Bournemouth in January.

Leeds will be wondering how they did not score after making a sprightly start and giving City real cause for early concern.

Meanwhile , a clinical Liverpool performance helped them beat battling West Ham in the Premier League and move level on points with fourth-placed Manchester United.

The hosts were 3-0 up at the break thanks to goals from Hugo Ekitike, Virgil van Dijk and Alexis Mac Allister.

West Ham pulled one back early in the second half through Tomas Soucek before Cody Gakpo restored Liverpool’s three-goal lead in the 70th minute.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side scored again through Taty Castellanos, but an Axel Disasi own goal ensured Liverpool hit five goals in a league game for the first time this season.

Bayern Rebound To Overcome Dortmund In Bundesliga (5)

Harry Kane scored two second-half goals as Bayern Munich came from behind to beat Borussia Dortmund in a thrilling match and move 11 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.

The England striker took his tally to 45 goals in all competitions this season as Bayern became the first team to inflict a home league defeat on Dortmund.

Kane, who passed 500 A clinical Liverpool performance helped them beat battling West Ham in the Premier League and move level on points with fourth-placed Manchester United.

The hosts were 3-0 up at the break thanks to goals from Hugo Ekitike, Virgil van Dijk and Alexis Mac Allister.

West Ham pulled one back early in the second half through Tomas Soucek before Cody Gakpo restored Liverpool’s three-goal lead in the 70th minute.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side scored again through Taty Castellanos, but an Axel Disasi own goal ensured Liverpool hit five goals in a league game for the first time this season.

All three of the Reds’ first-half goals came from set-pieces – with Arne Slot’s side now leading the table in 2026 when it comes to goals from set-plays (excluding penalties).

In the fifth minute, Ryan Gravenberch teed up Ekitike, who finished smartly to beat Mads Hermansen at the near post for his 16th goal of the season.

West Ham threatened to equalise, but against the run of play Liverpool doubled their advantage when Van Dijk headed in Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner.

The visitors failed to take advantage of Liverpool’s complacency with Konstantinos Mavropanos, Jarrod Bowen and Soucek all wasting chances.

And just before half-time, Mac Allister’s superb volley took a deflection and ended in the back of the net. That was the cue for sections of the travelling support to head for the exits.

Nico Schlotterbeck’s opener.

Dortmund thought they had snatched a point when Daniel Svensson’s thumping volley sent Signal Iduna Park into pandemonium.

But that was until Joshua Kimmich’s strike three minutes from time kept Bayern in pole position to win a 14th title in 15 seasons.

Schlotterbeck headed Dortmund ahead in the 26th minute when he rose highest in a crowded penalty area to connect with Svensson’s free-kick from the left.

Dortmund had the chance to double their lead later in the half when Fabio Silva squared the ball to Maximilian Beier, who was denied by the onrushing Jonas Urbig.

Despite dominating possession in the first half, Bayern – playing with a front three of Kane, Michael Olise and Luis Diaz – were unable to test Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.

But Kane equalised early in the second period with a poacher’s effort from inside the area at the end of a slick move involving Kimmich and Serge Gnabry.

Both teams missed chances before Kane scored a penalty – a record 10th in a Bundesliga season – after Josip Stanisic was floored by Schlotterbeck.

Dortmund levelled when Svensson volleyed past Urbig, but Kimmich all but ended their hopes of winning a first title since 2012.

Sports

PSG Extend Lead In Ligue 1

Published

16 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

Paris St-Germain stretched their lead at the top of Ligue 1 to four points by claiming a narrow win at Le Havre.

The defending champions hoped to take advantage after second-placed Lens drew at Strasbourg on Friday, and Bradley Barcola gave them a deserved lead shortly before half-time.

PSG had chances to extend their lead and substitute Desire Doue had a late penalty saved by Le Havre goalkeeper Mory Diaw.

Lee Kang-In had an effort saved by Diaw before his right-wing cross was headed home by Barcola for his ninth goal of the season.

Moments later Lee fired wide when through on goal, before PSG winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia fired against a post just after half-time.

Keeper Matvey Safonov made a fine save from Issa Soumare to keep PSG in front, while Diaw denied substitutes Nuno Mendes, Ibrahim Mbaye and Doue.

Diaw parried Doue’s spot-kick low to his right after Doue was brought down by Lucas Gourna-Douath with 11 minutes left.