Addressing a press conference in Harare, at the end of a one day visit to Zimbabwe Monday the FIFA boss who met Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and president Robert Mugabe said whether it was players or officials who will be found guilty they will be banned for life from football.
"We are working with Interpol and governments on the issue of match fixing. These are criminal laws relevant to each country.. We have our own statutes- the Disciplinary Committee and the Ethics Committee but we can not intervene at this stage.
We will let the jurisidication of the association take precedence and if found guilty we will suspend them for life," said Blatter. Earlier he had said. "I know you have the Asiagate. Don't worry about that. We will clean the issue with the help of governments and Interpol."
Fifa head of security Chris Eaton and Investigations officer Terry Steams have arrived in the country and are due to meet ZIFA vice president Ndumiso Gumede who is the head of the investigations committee.
Zimbabwean players including Warriors captain Method Mwanjali and other players admitted being given money by Asian betting syndicates to lose matches on a 2009 tour to Thailand and Malaysia.
The Warriors lost 3-0 to Thailand and 6-0 to Syria, and former ZIFA CEO Henrietta Rushwaya who is alleged to have organised the trips has since lost her job.
Post published in: Sport