UK police investigate football match-fixing claims

Police in the UK have opened a second investigation into football match-fixing following allegations that a player rigged a Championship game in return for cash.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) confirmed it was examining claims passed to it by the Sun on Sunday.

The newspaper said an undercover investigator met the player, who said he could arrange for footballers in the Championship to get themselves a yellow card in return for tens of thousands of pounds.

He also claimed he could rig Premier League games and even said he was preparing to fix matches at next year’s World Cup in Brazil.

In a statement the NCA said: “The NCA can confirm that the Sun on Sunday has passed material from its own investigation to the National Crime Agency.

“An active NCA investigation is now under way and we are working closely with the Football Association and the Gambling Commission. We cannot comment further at this stage.”

The NCA is already carrying out a separate investigation into an alleged international illegal betting syndicate.

Michael Boateng and Hakeem Adelakun, both 22, were charged this week with conspiracy to defraud contrary to common law.

The pair, who played for Conference South club Whitehawk FC in Brighton, were dismissed by their club and will appear in court on Wednesday.

Two other men, Chann Sankaran, 33, from Hastings, East Sussex, and Krishna Sanjey Ganeshan, 43, from Singapore, were charged last month with plotting to defraud bookmakers and will also appear in court this week.

PA