World football governing body FIFA has given an African player, George Mandela, a lifetime ban from the sport for his involvement in match-fixing.
As reported by the BBC, Ugandan player George Mandela has been slapped with a life ban for his involvement in "match manipulation" during his time at Kenyan club Kakamega Homeboyz.
Three of his teammates, Moses Chikati, Festus Okiring and Festo Omukoto, were handed four-year bans for the part they played in the match-fixing scandal that rocked Kenyan football in 2019.
The incidents are believed to have taken place last season, with goalkeeper Mandela the central figure. The club finished seventh in the 18-team Kenyan division, after losing certain matches on purpose.
Addressing the issue, FIFA said in a statement on their website that "the formal disciplinary proceedings against the aforementioned individuals stemmed from an investigation into various matches from the Kenyan Premier League in 2019.
"This investigation was conducted by FIFA through its Integrity Department with the consent of and in cooperation with the relevant stakeholders and authorities.
"In particular, given his central role in the conspiracy, the player George Mandela, Uganda, has been banned from taking part in any kind of football-related activity at national and international level for life."
