January 29 – One of India’s biggest clubs has written to their governing body claiming two of their players have been approached via social media to fix matches.
Minerva Punjab FC believe the two players were made offers of 3 million rupees ($47,218) through WhatsApp and Instagram as well as text messages and have reported the matter to the All India Football Federation.
The current I-League leaders said they had also sent the information to the Asian Football Confederation.
Minerva owner Ranjit Bajaj says five more players had since been approached. “Another low for Indian football with another five of my players being asked to fix matches in the I-League, taking the numbers to seven,” he said. 
“I am really surprised that we are the first to report this. It can’t be that this is happening for the first time,” Bajaj told Reuters. “The AIFF needs to deal with it very seriously as it can destroy the integrity and reputation of the sport in the country.”
Javed Siraj, the AIFF’s integrity officer, confirmed receiving the letter from the club and said the governing body was taking it seriously. “We are on the job and are doing whatever we can in our parameters.”
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