KUALA LUMPUR - Asian title-holder Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors has been banned from this year’s AFC Champions League over a match-fixing scandal in South Korea’s K-League, Asia’s football governing body said Wednesday.
“The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) independent Entry Control Body today declared that Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (KOR) is ineligible to participate in AFC competitions for the 2017 season due to its indirect involvement in activities aimed at arranging or influencing the outcome of matches during the 2013 and 2014 K-League seasons,” the confederation said in a statement.
“The Body subsequently ordered that Jeju United FC (KOR) shall be the third seed and Ulsan Hyundai (KOR) the fourth seed representing the Korea Football Association in the AFC Champions League 2017,” it added.
The ban decision was based on a new document by the Entry Control Body setting out rules for eligibility.
Any clubs involved in “arranging or influencing the outcome of a match at national or international level” will be barred from the Asian competition for one season, according to the document.
Asia’s football authorities have long struggled against match-fixing, with major scandals seen in countries including South Korea and China.
In September, K-League leader Jeonbuk was docked nine points and fined 100 million won ($83,000) after one of its scouts was convicted of bribing referees during the 2013 season.
As a result, Jeonbuk narrowly missed out on the Korean title.
But it beat UAE’s Al Ain 3-2 on aggregate in the Champions League final to lift Asia’s most prestigious club trophy.
At the 2017 AFC Champions League, Jeonbuk had been placed in Group H with Adelaide United of Australia, Jiangsu FC of China and a playoff-winning team to be determined later.
‘Xabi Alonso to retire in June’
Spanish World Cup winner and double European champion Xabi Alonso is set to retire at the end of the season when his Bayern Munich contract expires, a report in Germany said.
Leader Bayern kicks off the second half of the Bundesliga season at Freiburg Friday in its bid for a fifth straight German league title with the 35-year-old Alonso poised to end his playing career in June.
It would mean the German giant could lose significant experience for next season with club captain and ex-Germany skipper Philipp Lahm also reportedly considering retiring in June to take over as Bayern’s team manager.
According to Sport Bild, Alonso has already told club bosses he does not want to sign a contract extension.
Having joined Bayern for the 2014-15 season, Alonso is bidding to finish with a third straight German league title with Munich currently three points clear in the table.
Alonso has won 16 titles for clubs and country, including the 2010 World Cup and the 2008 and 2012 European championships with Spain, making 114 international appearances.
He retired from international duty in August 2014.
