SHAFI’I MOHYADDIN ABOKAR / AIPS in MOGADISHU: Four Somali internationals have been banned from all football for one year for matchfixing in a domestic league match.

Mohamed Dahir Mahmoud (chairman of Sahafi FC) and Abdullahi Elmi Mahmoud (chairman of FC Banadir) have also been banned for two years with immediate effect.

All the decisions were approved by the SFF executive committee meeting in Mogadishu on Sunday after it had heard reports from the competitions affairs committee and the commissioner of the Banadir v Sahafi match at the Somali University Stadium on September 30.

The four players banned are Mohamed Hashi Siyad known as (Duufaan), Ali Mohamed Ali, Ikar Dahir Amin and Abdullahi Abdul Salam Sheik (Olow) who all play for Sahafi.

The two chairmen were found guilty of committing anti-football behaviour, while the four banned players were themselves found guilty of being complicit in irregularities committed by the two club chairmen.

A statement said: “Referring to the reports by the competitions affairs committee and the match commissioner the executive committee has taken such strong decision and all banned individuals both players and club chairmen will not be allowed to make appeals against the bans.”

Banadir have also been penalised by the match points gained in the match.

The statement added: “The match commissioner and the competitions affairs committee gathered full evidences showing that both clubs agreed to give chances to each other in a bid to prevent from relegation, while the four players acted accordingly on the field of play.”

The SFF executive committee praised the Safahi coach Ali Mohamed Absuge for carrying out his duties “in accordance with the international laws of the game and for respecting the local league principles.”

Ali Bu is an experienced coach who formerly led the Ocean Stars in international competition.

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