Badminton match-fixing scandal in Malaysia

Two Malaysian shuttlers – former junior world champion Zulfadi Zulkfilli and Tan Chun Seang – are facing six charges each involving match-fixing activities.

Malaysian shuttlers will defend themselves

The shuttlers will get a chance to defend themselves in front of a three-men panel appointed by the Badminton World Federation (BWF).

“There are six charges against them and one of the offences took place at the Korean Grand Prix,” Badminton Association of Malaysia’s (BAM) lawyer Jadadish Chandra told reporters on Tuesday.

If found guilty, the duo could be banned for life, in what would be the first decision of a kind by the BWF.

Match-fixing since 2013

According to a report by The New Straits Times, both shuttlers have got six different charges against them from six tournaments between 2013-2016.

The BWF first noticed the match-fixing issue after a foreign player lodged a report with the body in 2016, claiming that he had been approached by one of the suspects to manipulate the outcome of the match.

Jadadish Chandra noted that there were four different witnesses from three different countries.

"The four witnesses present today gave their statements while the BWF laid before the suspects the evidence they had against them,” Jadadish said.

"I wish to stress that everything done at the hearing is within the capacity and power of the BWF as the world governing body. Players (Zulkfilli and Seang) are very cooperative.”

If the two players are handed life suspensions, they would not be able to participate in any badminton-related activity, including playing, coaching or holding any postions in badminton-related organizations.