Lebanese Football Referees Denied Bail in "Sex-for-Fixing Game" Case
A Singapore court refused to grant bail to a Lebanese football referee and his two assistants, who were charged with accepting sexual bribes in return for fixing a regional football match from a a gambling-linked international syndicate.
The three referees pleaded not guilty and will next appear in court on April 18, media reports said.
The court said that referee Ali Sabbagh and assistant referees Ali Eid and Abdallah Taleb would flee the country if granted provisional liberty.
A Singaporean businessman who allegedly supplied the prostitutes was granted bail on Tuesday by the same judge.
The 33-year-old Sabbagh is a FIFA-accredited referee who has officiated some 2014 World Cup qualifiers.
The three men arrived in Singapore earlier this month to take charge of the AFC Cup match between local side Tampines Rovers and East Bengal of India, but were hastily replaced hours before the game kicked off.
Media reports said that the three suspects could face a maximum fine of $100,000 and a five-year prison sentence if found guilty.
An 18-month review by Europol recently revealed that a Singapore-based crime syndicate has been involved in fixing football matches around the world, including World Cup qualifiers and Champions League matches.
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