Malaysian badminton pair probed for match-fixing

Kuala Lumpur: Two Malaysian badminton players are being investigated for suspected match-fixing by the sport’s governing body and could be banned for life if found guilty, a sports official said on Wednesday.

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) is probing the pair over alleged fixing that happened about two years ago, said Norza Zakaria, president of the Badminton Association of Malaysia.

He refused to disclose their identities but Malaysia’s The Star newspaper reported one used to be a top junior player and the other had taken part in the Thomas Cup, a prestigious team event.

“We have zero tolerance for this kind of heinous behaviour — it will tarnish badminton’s reputation,” Norza told AFP.

The BWF declined to comment.