:eek: PRETORIA, June 25 (AFP) - A total of 17 referees and football club officials have been arrested by South African police on match-fixing charges, National Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi said Friday.
Four referees were arrested early this morning (Friday). The head of the task team, commissioner Afrika Khumalo, has advised that these are senior referees,'' Selebi's spokeswoman Sally de Beer said in a statement. Police arrested three club officials on Thursday, a week after 10 referees were taken into custody. The total number of persons arrested under the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Act under Operation Dribble is now seventeen. More arrests are expected,’’ De Beer said.
In all, 20 referees, players and officials reportedly accepted bribes to fix matches.
South African Football Association president Molefi Olifant called for an investigation into claims of bribery and corruption in April.
Bribes were said to have ranged from 10,000 rand (1,500 dollars/1,200 euros) for a Premier Soccer League game to between 30,000 and 40,000 rand for cup matches.