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Cameroon to investigate match-fixing claims

Alex Song was sent off for elbowing Croatia's Mario Mandzukic © Getty Images

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Cameroon officials are to investigate allegations of match-fixing by their players at the World Cup.

The Cameroon FA's ethics committee will probe allegations of fraud in Cameroon's three Group A matches, particularly the 4-0 defeat to Croatia on June 18 in Manaus.

The allegations come from convicted match-fixer Wilson Raj Perumal, who had correctly predicted the 4-0 result and that a player would be sent off in a discussion with German magazine Der Spiegel. Perumal has since denied that he made a prediction, and instead that he was offering an opinion four days after the match had taken place.

Cameroon midfielder Alex Song was sent off before half-time for elbowing Croatia's Mario Mandzukic, while the game was also marred by an incident deep into the second half as Benoit Assou-Ekotto looked like he tried to head-butt team-mate Benjamin Moukandjo.

Cameroon headed home from Brazil after losing against Brazil and Mexico, as well as Croatia, to finish bottom of Group A.

A Cameroon FA statement read: "Recent allegations of fraud around Cameroon 2014 FIFA World Cup three preliminary games, especially Cameroon vs. Croatia, as well of the 'existence of seven bad apples [in our national team]' do not reflect the values and principles promoted by our administration, in line with FIFA Code of Conduct and the ethics of our nation.

"We wish to inform the general public that, though not yet contacted by FIFA in regards to this affair, our administration has already instructed its Ethics Committee, to further investigate these accusations.

"We are strongly committed to employ all means necessary to resolve this disruptive matter in the shortest delays.

"In the meantime we legitimately request that any related information, unless brought before our federation and/or its Ethics Committee, be held for or treated as mere assumption.

"We wish to reinstate that in 55 years of existence, [the Cameroon FA] has never been sanctioned for, involved in, or even linked to match fixing or any fraud of any kind.''

Ghana and Nigeria, who have also exited the tournament, were involved in disputes over money in Brazil in what has been a troubled World Cup for African nations.

Ghana sent two players home - Sulley Muntari for hitting out at an official and Kevin-Prince Boateng for allegedly swearing at his coach.

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