FIFA Bans Ugandan Footballer, George Mandela For Life Over Match Fixing

February 5, 2020

FIFA has banned Ugandan football player, George Mandela for life over his involvement in match fixing.

Three of Mandela’s teammates Moses Chikati, Festus Okiring, and Festo Omukoto who are all Kenyan were handed four-year bans from all football-related activities for their involvement in the conspiracy.

FIFA said that Mandela played a ‘central role in the conspiracy’, giving specific instructions to his fellow players on how to fix the games.

Mandela was accused of influencing games while playing for Kenya Premier League side Kakamega Home Boyz last season.

“The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has found several players guilty of having been involved in match manipulation in violation of art. 69 par. 1 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (2017) (unlawfully influencing match results).” “In particular, given his central role in the conspiracy, the player George Mandela, Uganda, has been banned from taking part in any kind of football-related activity at national and international level for life,”  Part of FIFA letter reads.

Mandela acted as a middle man, influencing games that involved Kakamega in the same period that former SC Villa and Mbarara City head coach Paul Nkata was the head coach at the club.

Nkata was fired by the club, amidst allegations that he was also involved in influencing results, with a case logged to the Kenyan Authorities and FIFA as investigations into the matter were being carried out.

But according to the findings, Nkata did not play any role in the scandal, as he has not been mentioned anywhere following the investigations.

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