Benin international Séïdath Tchomogo has been banned for life from all football-related activities, both national and international, following accusations of attempting to fix matches for betting purposes.
FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee announced on Wednesday that approximately ten current and former players, along with a player agent, have received lifetime bans for match-fixing, in violation of Article 69.1 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. Among those sanctioned are four Africans: Tchomogo, Hellings Mwakasungula of Malawi, Ibrahim Kargbo of Sierra Leone, and Kudzanai Shaba of Zimbabwe.
Article 69.1 specifies that anyone who attempts to manipulate the outcome of a match in a manner contrary to sporting ethics can face suspension from matches, bans from football-related activities, and fines of at least CHF 15,000. In severe cases, such as Tchomogo’s, the punishment is a lifetime ban.
The sanctions follow a wide-ranging investigation by FIFA into multiple international matches allegedly targeted for manipulation by Singaporean Wilson Raj Perumal, a figure implicated in numerous match-fixing scandals.
Séïdath Tchomogo earned 43 caps for the Squirrels of Benin and represented his country at the 2005 U-20 World Cup, as well as the 2008 and 2010 Africa Cup of Nations, making his lifetime ban a significant blow to Beninese football.
