Soccer league announces measures to prevent match fixing

In the wake of the match fixing scandal, the domestic pro soccer K-League announced Wednesday measures to prevent a recurrence and punish those implicated in corruption at a workshop in Pyeongchang County, Gangwon Province.

Based on an agreement reached among players, coaches and officials from the league`s 16 teams at the workshop, those directly and indirectly involved in match fixing have until June 13 to voluntarily confess their involvement to the league.

The league will ask for a criminal investigation after conducting an independent probe based on the information. Those who voluntarily provide information and request leniency from prosecutors will receive reduced punishment.

After the voluntary reporting period ends, the league, the Korea Football Association, the Justice Ministry and the betting site Sports Toto will establish a corruption prevention committee to gather information on match fixing on a permanent basis.

The league, association, coaches and staff of the teams will also cooperate to share a blacklist and monitor suspected players by reporting games suspected of match fixing to the league. If those monitored are confirmed to have thrown games, they will face a lifetime ban from the league.

If a club is found to have turned a blind eye to its players committing match fixing by transferring them to other teams, it will also face severe punishment.

Some 1,150 players, coaches and team staff at the workshop signed a written agreement to root out corruption. They pledged to provide their personal information if needed for investigation such as cellphone records.

They also said they will accept the agreed punishment from the league, including suspension, if they violate the agreement.

creating@donga.com