Allegations of match-fixing in football traditionally relate to teams being offered a financial incentive to lose a game.
But the opposite has allegedly happened to players from Central American nation El Salvador, who allege that a businessman has offered them hundreds of dollars to *win* their upcoming World Cup qualifier with Canada.
More than a dozen Salvadoran players, including 74-cap midfielder Ramón Sánchez and Osael Romero, who played 69 times for his country, were handed life bans from the national team for their involvement in a match-fixing scandal around defeats in 2011 and 2012.
And in the light of that past episode, current captain Nelson Bonilla told press in Vancouver that “We want to be transparent about everything that has happened with the national team.“
Bonilla (in blue) is one of four European-based players in El Salvador’s squad (Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
“In reference to what we heard, we want to make it clear that we are against anything of this kind,” said Bonilla, who plays his club football for Nacional in Portugal.
El Salvador are bottom of their qualifying group for the 2018 World Cup and are unable to qualify for the final stage of the tournament, but a heavy defeat to Canada (with whom they drew 0-0 at home earlier in the competition) could help eliminate rivals Honduras from the competition.
Enter businessman Ricardo Padilla, who – according to Salvadoran publication La Prensa Grafica – has offered players a financial incentive to win the game or even avoid a heavy defeat which could contribute to the goal difference swing required for Canada to progress.
Reportedly acting on behalf of an anonymous friend, Padilla has relayed an offer of $30 per player per minute (about £22.50) if they manage to defeat their Canadian opponents, while a narrow 1-0 defeat will earn them half that amount and a draw will mean $20 per minute played for each squad member.
La Prensa Grafica has published a transcript of a conversation between Padilla and members of the squad, in which he claims his friend is a Honduran millionaire and will not benefit financially from the result.
“He’s a millionaire, do not go thinking it’s because he wants to earn ten pesos, he has money,” Padilla is quoted as saying.
“He is possibly doing it for the love of his country,” he adds, before one of the Salvadoran players thanks him for his time but notes that none of the squad members will accept his offer.
Honduras, who were eliminated from the 2014 World Cup after losing all three of their group games, are three points ahead of Canada with one game remaining after coming from behind to beat Benito Floro’s team on Friday night.
Their goal difference is five better than that held by Canada, but their last game comes away against a Mexico team that has 15 points from 15 and beat them 2-0 in the reverse fixture.