A Singaporean and several foreigners have been arrested on suspicion of trying to fix football matches at the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games), the city-state’s anti-corruption agency said Friday.

A Singaporean and several foreigners have been arrested on suspicion of trying to fix football matches at the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games), the city-state’s anti-corruption agency said Friday.
The 36-sport biennial Southeast Asian Games was set to kick off informally late Friday with group stage football ties ahead of the opening ceremony on June 5 at the National Stadium of Singapore.
In a statement, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) said it had been “proactively monitoring football match-fixing activities” and acted on information it received to arrest “a Singaporean alleged match-fixer and several co-conspirators of different nationalities.”
“Some members from the Timor Leste SEA Games football team are also assisting the Bureau in its investigations,” the CPIB said.
The agency did not provide further details about the suspects arrested or those being investigated.
It said the suspects were being probed under the city-state’s tough Prevention of Corruption Act.
The swoop follows a string of match-fixing scandals which have tarnished the wealthy, gambling-mad island’s reputation for clean government and low crime.
Singaporean businessman Eric Ding is currently serving a five-year jail sentence for providing prostitutes to Lebanese football referees in a bid to influence international matches in April 2013.
In September 2013, police detained 14 people believed to be members of a global match-fixing syndicate, including the suspected mastermind Dan Tan.
Tan, also known as Tan Seet Eng, is currently being held under a law that allows for indefinite detention, which is typically used against key gangsters.
Experts have said that easy international transport, a passport accepted around the world and fluency in English and Mandarin have helped Singaporean fixers spread their influence with the support of external investors, most believed to be from China.
The SEA Games, which Singapore is hosting for the first time since 1993, involve all 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations — Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam — plus East Timor which first participated in the Games in 2003 and is also known as Timor Leste.

Source Thanhniennews

Rafa Benitez has been appointed Real Madrid coach for the next three seasons, taking on one of the most demanding jobs in club soccer and one in which he will be expected to deliver major trophies in short order.

Spaniard Benitez, 55, quit Napoli last week and takes over from Italian Carlo Ancelotti, who was sacked after a campaign when Real failed to either defend their Champions League crown or win the domestic league or Cup.

A former Valencia, Liverpool, Inter Milan and Chelsea manager, Benitez began his coaching career in Real’s youth academy in 1986 after injury ended his hopes of becoming a professional player.

He is the 10th coach to be appointed by president Florentino Perez during the construction magnate’s two six-year stints at the helm of the world’s richest club by income.

Real confirmed the Benitez appointment on their website (www.realmadrid.com) on Wednesday and said he would hold a news conference at 1100 GMT.

Benitez, who Real said was “a man who embodies success, experience and the Real Madrid spirit”, will not be given time to bed in at Real and Perez will expect immediate results.

Ancelotti was dismissed 12 months after ending 12 years of Champions League failure by leading Real to a record-extending 10th European crown in 2013-14.

After leaving Real, Benitez graduated to several modest teams in Spain as he developed his coaching philosophy.

He made his name with Valencia whom he led to two La Liga titles before leaving for Liverpool, where he won the FA Cup and the Champions League.

After leaving the Merseyside club he moved on to Inter Milan but was sacked just three months into the 2010-11 season.

The former Chelsea coach had mixed fortunes during his last job with Napoli.

Napoli won the Coppa Italia last term and finished third in Serie A but lost to Lazio in Benitez’s last match in charge to finish fifth in Serie A, outside the Champions League qualifying places.

“A methodical tactician, tireless worker and footballing scholar, Benitez is one of the greatest coaches on the global stage,” Real said.

“While his achievements speak for themselves, so too does his knowledge of the club and the values associated with Real Madrid.

“With his status among the elite managers cemented, Benitez now makes his return to Real Madrid with the objective of adding more silverware to the world’s most lauded club.”

Source Tuoitrenews