/ 20 May 1999

TUNISIANS IN BRIBE SCANDAL

THE Tunisian football officials arrested in Zambia at the weekend for allegedly trying to bribe a referee were charged with corruption on Tuesday. Club Sportif Sfaxien vice-president Yaiche Fakary and committee member Bouset Fadhi had their passports confiscated and must report to the anti-corruption commission in the central town of Ndola twice a week. The other Sfaxien vice-president, Zahaf Salah, has remained in Zambia amid media reports that the president of the club is flying to the Southern Africa state. An African Football Confederation (CAF) spokesman in Cairo said CAF Cup holders Sfaxien could be disqualified from the annual competition for national league runners-up if the allegations were proven. Referee Kabelo Molepo from Botswana claimed the Tunisians came to his hotel room two days before the match and offered $500 to ‘fix’ the cup tie with the promise of a further $500 and unspecified gifts. Molepo reported the incident to the police and match commissioner Leo Mugabe from Zimbabwe, who set a trap and burst into the hotel room when the officials returned and handed over the alleged bribe.