Nepal football goalie, captain charged with treason

Kathmandu: Nepal's former national football captain and goalkeeper are among five players charged with treason over alleged match-fixing in World Cup qualifiers in 2011, an official said yesterday.

"The government has charged the five footballers arrested with treason and has sought a life sentence as punishment," said Bhadrakali Pokharel, Registrar at the Special Court in Kathmandu, which is hearing the case.

Skipper Sagar Thapa and goalkeeper Ritesh Thapa were among five players taken into custody last month as part of a coordinated series of arrests in the capital.

Detectives said arrests came after it was found significant sums of money was deposited in bank accounts from suspected match-fixers based in SE Asia. "They were involved in match-fixing... accepting money to lose matches," Pokharel said.