The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) charged the owner of the Druk Stars Football Club with passive commercial bribery. The case reached the Thimphu district court on Thursday. The owner who is also a coach allegedly accepted more than Nu 800,000 from an Indian national for alleged match-fixing during the Bhutan Super League and Premier League last year. Seen as one of the biggest problems in organized sports, match-fixing is when the outcome of a match is manipulated for a team to advance or for gambling.
The Office of the Attorney General charges the owner on seven counts. He allegedly accepted about Nu 400,000 during the Bhutan Super League and about Nu 480,000 during the Bhutan Premier League, last year.
The amounts were paid through a series of ATM deposits from India to his Druk PNB savings account. On March 6, 2020, he received Nu 287,280 which was credited through a series of ATM deposits from India in six transactions with Nu 47,880 each.
On March 7, he received Nu 95,760 from India in two different transactions with Nu 47,880 each and on March 9, he received Nu 15,960 in the same manner from India.
Similarly, he received Nu 99,750 on July 8, Nu 39,900 on July 22 through net transfer and Nu 44,887 on July 27 through ATM deposit.
On August 1, he received Nu 44,887 on July 27 and he also confessed of receiving Nu 299,227 on August 4 as an advance for match fixing.
The office also submitted to the court for restitution of the amount to the government. According to the OAG, he should be handed down with the maximum sentencing.
As per the Anti-Corruption Act 2011, the offence is a misdemeanour or value-based sentencing, whichever is higher. He could get a prison term of three years to a maximum of less than five years.
The allegation of match fixing surfaced during the match between Druk Star FC and Paro United FC at Changlimithang stadium in September last year.
As per the OAG, during the match, the owner was seen pressurizing the players to concede the goal to their opponent team. He was allegedly seen walking off the match which came to the notice of the management of Bhutan Football Federation.
After the match, the federation did a preliminary investigation whereby he confessed of match fixing upon the instruction of an Indian national.
The matter was then referred to the discipline committee of BFF along with written statements and the records of video statements of the players. The disciplinary actions include banning him for seven years and imposed fine of Nu 250,000. The club was relegated to district league from this year.
However, the executive committee was not satisfied with the decision of the discipline committee and appealed to the appeal committee in December last year. The appeal committee imposed a lifetime ban.
Facts about the Case
The Bhutan Super League 2020 was held from February to March last year. Eight clubs participated in the league. The Druk Stars FC came fourth with 12 points.
Whereas the Bhutan Premier League kicked off on August 1 and ended in November, last year. Eight clubs participated in the league. The Druk Stars FC earned the lowest position with only one win in the entire tournament and last three clubs were relegated to Bhutan Super League.
During the Bhutan Super League 2020, a day before the match with Gomo FC, the owner allegedly called his five key players at the Hotel 89 in Thimphu and instructed them to underperform and lose the match in the upcoming match.
Players were also introduced to two Indian nationals who claimed to be sponsors of the club. They also allegedly paid Nu 500 each and asked to follow the instructions of the owner.
On the same day, he had allegedly approached two players and the coach of Gomo FC at the Hotel 89 and Hotel New Singay and asked them to score one goal each in the first and second half of the match.
In March last year, he had deliberately selected the young and inexperienced players as the first eleven players of the team during the Druk Stars FC and Gomo FC match.
During the Bhutan Premier League 2020, the first match was held between the Druk Stars FC and the Paro FC ate Woochu Sports Arena in Paro. Most of the players travelled in the bus while three keys players traveled with him in a taxi.
He allegedly coached them to lose the match on the condition that they will be offered Nu 1000 each. However, he did not pay after losing the match. The goalkeeper was instructed to concede the goal as and when he showed the hand signals.
In September last year, he called all his players at Changjiji Football Ground where he introduced the players to an Indian national via video call, who introduced himself as a sponsor. On the same day, he also approached the captain of Paro United FC.
He also repeatedly called and approached the captain during the league. In the first call, he offered him Nu 100,000 if the club could hold the ball for 15 minutes for both first and second half of the match between Paro United FC and Thimphu City FC, and let the opponent score the goal and in the second call. He was told he will offer dinner if they could hold for 15 minutes both for first and second half of the match between Paro United FC and Druk Stars FC.
During the match, he deliberately selected inexperienced players as the first 11 players and instructed them to hold the ball for first 20 minutes of the both the first and second half of the match with a promise of Nu 1000 to each player.
Experienced players were made to sit on the bench. He was called the players in the middle of the game for water and reminded him to concede the goal and also commit a hand ball to create an opportunity to the opponent to score the goal.
Founded in 1998, Druk Stars FC is one of the oldest football clubs in the country.
Tshering Zam
Edited by Tandin Phuntsho
