FIFA panel opens probes into South Africa match-fixing cases

Zurich: FIFA`s ethics watchdog has opened formal proceedings against ex-South Africa football chief Kirsten Nematandani and two other functionaries over alleged violations connected to fixing international friendlies in 2010, it said on Wednesday.

The adjudicatory chamber of global soccer body FIFA`s independent Ethics Committee said it opened cases against Nematandani, former Zimbabwe Football Association official Jonathan Musavengana and former Togo national team coach Bana Tchanile.

A FIFA investigator last week proposed at least a six-year ban and 10,000 Swiss franc ($10,340) fine for Nematandani over alleged ethics violations.

The investigator, Djimbaraye Bourngar, had also recommended life bans for Musavengana and Tchanile for alleged bribery and corruption violations.

The three officials will now be invited to submit their positions and may request a hearing, the adjudicatory chamber said in a statement.

Tchanile has already been banned from soccer for three years by his national federation after taking a team masquerading as the Togo national side to play a friendly with Bahrain in 2010.

Investigations by FIFA have concentrated on warm-up matches South Africa played against Thailand, Bulgaria, Colombia and Guatemala in May 2010 ahead of the World Cup which the country hosted.

Match-fixing is often organised by betting syndicates who make money by correctly gambling on the result of the game they have manipulated.