FIFA bans former South Africa chief Kirsten Nematandani over match-fixing

FIFA ethics committee investigators have called for a six-year ban against the former head of the South African Football Association Kirsten Nematandani over his alleged role in 2010 match-fixing, a statement said Wednesday.

The committee was also seeking lifetime bans over the same offence against a former official from the Zimbabwe Football Association, Jonathan Musavengana, and the ex-coach of Togo`s national team, Banna Tchanile.

The possible sanctions follow a probe led by the deputy chief of FIFA`s Independent Ethics Committee, Djimbaraye Bourngar, and are subject to approval by judges at world football`s governing body.

Nematandani, the most prominent name in the group, was put on "special leave" in December 2012 following a FIFA report into match-fixing.

He was reinstated in January 2013 but not cleared of any wrong doing and subsequently left the SAFA.

A 2012 FIFA investigation looked into South Africa`s friendly matches before the 2010 World Cup against Thailand, Bulgaria, Colombia and Guatemala.

It produced a 500-page report that documented the activities of convicted Singapore-based match-fixer Wilson Perumal and his Football 4U organisation.

Musavengana was first penalised over alleged match-fixing in 2012 by the Zimbabwean association in a scandal that also involved former national coach Sunday Chidzambwa.

Zimbabwean retired high court judge Ahmed Ebrahim conducted an investigation that implicated multiple football power brokers in the country in match-fixing orchestrated by Asian gambling syndicates.