Namibia report second match fixing bid

ACCRA, Ghana -- Namibia say that they were approached to 'throw' their final group game in the second reported instance of an attempt at match fixing at the African nations Cup

The players were reportedly offered £30,000 dollars each from a man claiming to represent a betting syndicate.

The Namibians, who cannot reach the quarterfinals after defeats to Ghana and Morocco, informed their football association president John Muinjo who has referred it to the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Earlier Benin coach Reinhard Fabisch claimed that he had been approached by a Singapore-based syndicate.

CAF official Soulemine Habouba said: "Our disciplinary body is investigating the Benin case and in the other we are waiting for details from Namibia before starting an official inquiry."

He added: "Match-fixing is not a rampant problem in Africa, betting is something new."

Muinjo told the BBC: "I'm very proud that my players came to see me straight away.

"I warned them about the impact accepting these sorts of offers could have on their careers. They are a team who believe in fair play.

"They were offered half in advance but told they had to be able during the game to manipulate the score on the instructions of the syndicate."

Benin's German-born coach Fabisch said a man came up to him at the team hotel in Sekondi last Saturday, two days before the Squirrels were beaten 1-0 by Mali in their opening Group B fixture.

Fabisch, who says he is passing on details of the incident to CAF, said the man had told him he represented a company based in Singapore which could fix games across Africa. E-mail to a friend