The Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) has confirmed the extension of sanctions on 41 players from Korea Republic following a domestic match-fixing investigation dating back to the summer of 2011.

All 41 players have been sanctioned with a lifetime ban from all football activities by the K-League and the Korea Football Association’s disciplinary committees, and the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has also extended the sanctions to have worldwide effect.

However, 21 players who turned themselves in during the voluntary reporting period, expressing their regret about their involvement in the match-fixing default, have been offered the possibility of returning to football after a probation period of between two and five years. This includes carrying out periods of community service ranging from 200 to 500 hours.

The probation is voluntary, meaning that the each player has to inform the K-League that he wishes to return to football. At this point, the player then has to commit himself to one of a variety of community services related to football. These services include the provision of coaching classes for local football clubs for youth and adult players; involvement in and support of football for those with disabilities; and the support of ongoing and future domestic anti-match-fixing activities.

Players who are subject to voluntary probation may produce monthly reports on their respective community service activities, accompanied by documentary evidence of their activity, documented in writing, picture or video.

Also, the reinstatement of the respective player in football after the probation period will only be decided by the Korea Football Association (KFA).

It will be recalled that in June 2012, the sanctions imposed by the K-League and the KFA’s disciplinary committees on ten other players involved in match-fixing were extended to have worldwide effect by FIFA, in accordance with articles 136 ff. of the FIFA Disciplinary Code.