This Wednesday, August 9, Alef Manga – one of the players investigated in a case of match-fixing in sports betting – admitted before the Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD) to having participated in the scheme that involved the acceptance of money to take yellow card.
The athlete, who has already played for Coritiba and currently plays for Cyprus, expressed remorse and expressed his willingness to collaborate with the judicial system in identifying the others involved.
A suspension of 360 days was determined for the player, as well as a fine of R$ 30 thousand.
Alef Manga received an amount of R$ 45,000 from the bettors involved in the scheme, and this negotiation was brokered by lateral Diego Porfirio, his former teammate.
The player is currently at Pafos FC on loan and has expressed his consideration for the possibility of repaying the amount he received.
In the statement, Alef stated: “He (Porfírio) came to me in the room, called me to talk so I could take the yellow card. He came to talk, I said I didn’t want to do it, I didn’t want to, I didn’t want to, but then I ended up accepting it.
He told me that the guy was going to deposit the money after the game. We went to the game, it happened that I got a yellow card.
After departure, he informed me that he had spoken to the staff so that they could deposit the money. Throughout the week, they didn’t deposit the money in my account.
I spoke with Porfírio that I wanted the boy’s contact to find out why they didn’t deposit”.
Alef regretted his participation in match fixing
The striker says he regrets what he did: “They started insisting, later on the CT and on the phone, for me to take the yellow card against Corinthians, that the value would be doubled.
In that case I said I didn’t want to do more, I was very sorry for what I did. Then he said that the more he gathered players to get cards, he earned more commission money.
I don’t know the value, I didn’t talk to the bettors, I didn’t have contact with anyone. It was indeed what happened. I am here to make it clear that I am at your disposal to return the money”, said the athlete.
Alef Manga is alleged to have agreed to receive a yellow card during the match against América-MG, which took place in the 25th round of the 2022 Brazilian Championship.
After being detected in the investigation of match-fixing by the Public Ministry of Goiás, the player was suspended from his activities in Coritiba and later loaned to Pafos.