National level five footballers arrested for match fixing

Kathmandu October 15– Three members of Nepal national football team, including captain and vice-captain, and two former national players have been arrested in the Kathmandu Valley on charge of match-fixing in national and international games and their alleged nexus with bookies on Wednesday. According to the Metropolitan Police Crime Division (MPCD), those detained today are captain Sagar Thapa, vice-captain Sandip Rai, goalkeeper Ritesh Thapa, former national defender Bikash Singh Chhetri,  and former national player and former coach of Three Star Club Anjan KC.

All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) CEO Indraman Tuladhar and manager Ramesh Rayamajhi confirmed that the footballers were arrested by police.

SSP Sarbendra Khanal, the chief of MPCD, said that the arrests were made after receiving complaints and tip-offs that the five were involved in match-fixing of national and international games. “They are accused of making quick bucks through match-fixing in cahoots with national and international bookies and fixers, and hurting the faith of fans and fellow countrymen. We were keeping tab on the suspects for some time. We had been monitoring their Facebook activities and international banking transactions,” SSP Khanal said.

It has been learned that police were alarmed at Nepali national team’s dismal performance in international matches since 2011.

Police are looking into the allegations and are also trying to ascertain which laws would be applicable against their alleged offences, which, according to SSP Khanal, were tantamount to organized crimes against the state.