Sadomba to give evidence on Asiagate

involvement in the Far East Tours that saw national team games being used by some powerful betting syndicates. He was not part of the people interviewed by the Asiagate committee.
Sadomba is one of the 98 players suspended by Zifa over the scandal, having participated in seven of the games under review with Kaizer Chiefs steelman Thomas Sweswe the most travelled having participated in 15 games.
Zifa board member (Competitions) Benedict Moyo told Chronicle Sport that Sadomba phoned from his base and indicated that he would be flying in to give his evidence to the Zifa appointed and Fifa recognised Ethics Committee led by retired judge, Justice Ebrahim. He said Sadomba volunteered to give evidence to the committee.
“Yes, it is true that the boy should be coming in to give his evidence to the committee but at the moment I am not exactly sure when exactly but very soon. It’s only that I am not in the capital right now,” said Moyo.
He said he did not know whether or not other players had come forward to give evidence to the Justice Ebrahim led Committee which he said had already started gathering evidence.
“I don’t know of any other player who has come forward,” said Moyo, who together with Zifa vice president, Ndumiso Gumede and Elliot Kasu, Zifa board member (Finance) conducted preliminary investigations.
The Asigate scandal claimed the scalps of Zifa board members Methembe Ndlovu, Kenny Marange and Solomon Mugavazi who were the first officials to be suspended for their part in the shamed tours.
Two weeks back the Warriors technical team of Norman Mapeza and Joey Antipas were also suspended as they were involved in some of the games.
Former Zifa chief executive officer Henrietta Rushwaya recently appeared in court facing several charges to do with the Asiagate scandal and is on $500 bail.
Meanwhile, in a move that is meant to show the seriousness which the world soccer governing body attaches to match-fixing, Fifa has advised member associations to contact them and request for an extension of those suspensions so that they could have a worldwide effect, said Fifa:
“The prevalence of match-fixing around the globe means that currently there are up to 50 active national investigations. In accordance with article 136 of the Fifa Disciplinary Code, in the case of serious infringements, including unlawfully influencing match results, member associations, confederations and other organising sports bodies are obligated to contact Fifa to request the extension of the sanctions they have imposed, so as to have a worldwide effect,”.
The announcement comes after Fifa decided to extend suspensions of individuals suspended by two national associations, the Turkish Football Association and Football Association of Finland.
“In accordance with article 78 paragraph 1(c) and article 136ff of the Fifa Disciplinary Code, upon request of the respective associations, the chairman of the Fifa Disciplinary Committee, Marcel Mathier (Switzerland), has decided to extend the sanctions worldwide, based on the content of current decisions of two member associations. (article 140 paragraph 2)
Since the conclusion of last season’s championship, the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has opened a vast investigation into alleged match-fixing and betting on matches played in the Turkish national championship. These cases are currently pending at the TFF’s Disciplinary Committee.
The TFF’s Disciplinary Committee and Appeal Committee found numerous individuals, including amateur and professional players, coaches, club and match officials guilty, imposing a range of sanctions from a one-year suspension to a lifetime ban.
At present, the chairman of the Fifa Disciplinary Committee has already extended the suspensions in order for them to have worldwide effect. The 24 sanctions for match-fixing and betting are as follows: six lifetime bans; four bans of three years; two bans of two-and-a-half years; six bans of two years; and six further bans of one year,” said Fifa in their statement.
Fifa’s Disciplinary Committee, has also extended two sanctions imposed by the Football Association of Finland (FAF) to have worldwide effect. The FAF undertook an important investigation into match-fixing and imposed numerous sanctions on players and officials. The FAF suspended two players from all national football activities for two years as of 6 April 2011, on 31 January 2012.
“Fifa’s commitment to tackling match-fixing is unwavering. The decisions of the Fifa Disciplinary Committee demonstrate our determination to protect the foundation of sport and fair play, showing zero tolerance to those who do not share Fifa’s ethics. We hope these decisions send a clear message around the world. If you do not play by the rules, you will be punished,” said Fifa Secretary General Jerome Valcke in a statement.