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The Simba wa Nairobi CEO has called on all stakeholders to pull in our direction and help curb match-fixing in the country.
Nairobi City Stars CEO Patrick Korir disclosed a foiled match-fixing incident in early February as allegations of the vice continue rocking Kenyan football.
Football Kenya Federation (FKF) this year alone has suspended over 16 players and two coaches from active football for involving themselves in match-fixing syndicates.
Korir said he and an unnamed player were targeted to throw away a league match against Kenya Police FC on February 8 at Kasarani Annex Stadium.
"One of my players informed me that someone is looking for me, and I okayed the player to give him my number as you never know if it is a potential sponsor.
Then a conversation came on WhatsApp, and this was a game against Kenya Police that was to be played at 1 pm. I asked the person how can I help, and the conversation continued before it hit me that this person was after something," Korir narrated in an interview with NTV.
Korir added that the person claimed to own a betting company based in Turkey, and he immediately disappeared when he stopped the conversation.
"I quickly told him to talk to me after the game, but he tried to present to me a proposal. I didn't want to go into that, so I told him I was uninterested.
I immediately went to the coach and informed him to tell my players not to entertain such a conversation and never engage any stranger," added the CEO.
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Korir added there was another incident around the 2020-2021 season where another player, whose name he did not reveal, was offered $10,000 to help fix their league match against Nzoia Sugar.
The City Stars boss had to seek assistance from FKF and FIFA, who in turn advised the player to stop the conversation.
Kenyan football has been rocked by match-fixing in the recent past, with tens of players and officials, including coaches, punished by FIFA.
Recently the Sports Principal Secretary Jonathan Mueke disclosed plans to impose criminal penalties, including possible jail terms, on individuals caught match-fixing.
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