All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Thursday revealed that approaches have been made to players registered with the country's governing body of football in a bid to manipulate matches of the ongoing I-League tournament.
AIFF issued a statement informing the fans of the league tournament. "It has come to the knowledge of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) that certain approaches have recently been made to AIFF-registered players in a bid to manipulate matches of the ongoing I-League competition," said the statement. The governing body conveyed that it has taken the matter seriously and has a zero-tolerance policy towards activities that bring the AIFF competitions and the game as a whole to disrepute. "AIFF has taken serious note of this matter and would like to reiterate its zero-tolerance policy towards any activity that impacts the integrity of its competitions or otherwise brings the game of football into disrepute. AIFF is committed to taking every step within its power to prevent corrupt practices from undermining the values of football," said the statement. AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey said: "We have received information of multiple approaches to our players. We will thoroughly examine the incidents, investigate, and take all necessary action." "We are committed to protecting our players and our beautiful game and will not tolerate any attempts of this nature to put the players and the game at risk," he said. "We will also continue to strengthen our institutional capacities to not only counter such threats but also educate our players and officials on how to recognise, respond to, and report incidents of this nature," concluded Chaubey. The latest season of I-League, the second-tier league in Indian football, started on October 28 and will go on till April 2024. (ANI)
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