The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) has lifted the lifetime bans imposed on footballers Manap Bin Hamat, Mizan Bin Ulot, Abdul Malek bin Mohammad and Zulkifli Kartoyoho.
The four individuals had each of their lifetime bans imposed on them at various points between 1995 to 1998 by the FAS Disciplinary Committee for match-fixing related incidents.
The national football body made the announcement on 21 December, after receiving their appeals.
Mizan had been found guilty of fixing two local club matches in 1995 while Manap and Abdul Malek were convicted for fixing games between Balestier Central FC and Tampines Rovers FC in 1997.
In the case of Manap and Malek, they had both conspired with bookie Wilson Raj Perumal to ensure that Balestier Central beat Tampines Rovers, with both receiving $3000 for their efforts.
Malek was slapped with a $6,000 fine and a three week jail sentence, while Manap was fined $12,000 and also served a 20-week jail sentence.
Zulkifli, an ex-Singapore international player, was not convicted, but was given a life ban for conspiring with Manap and Malek.
“After having thoroughly considered all of these factors, the Council decided to lift the bans imposed on Manap, Mizan, Abdul Malek and Zulkifli from 21 December 2023,” the FAS said in its statement.
“The Council had, among others, noted that in all four cases, each individual had already served over 25 years of suspension, in addition to their respective court-imposed sentences such as serving their jail terms.”
The lifetime bans on the four players were lifted about 20 months after former national striker K Kannan fought to have his lifetime ban lifted.
In March 2022, the FAS announced that the ban on K Kannan was lifted after a successful appeal through lawyers Eugene Thuraisingam LLP, along with the ban imposed on former referee T Rajamanickam.
“The FAS believe in the principles of fairness, justice, and the opportunity for redemption,” the President Bernard Tan said.
“This compassionate decision reflects our commitment to balancing punitive measures with a belief in the potential for rehabilitation, while reaffirming that our stance against match-fixing remains unwavering.
“The FAS is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of integrity within Singaporean football, ensuring a clean, competitive, and vibrant environment for all stakeholders.”
MAIN PHOTO: MIZAN ULOT, BOLASEPAKO
