Two players from top-placed I-league side Minerva Punjab FC were allegedly approached by bookies, according to club owner Ranjit Bajaj.
While he refused to disclose their names, Ranjit confirmed that an Indian and a foreign player were contacted over phone and Facebook.
“An Indian player got a phone call day before yesterday night and the foreigner received a message on Whatsapp . The latter initially received a friend request from someone posing to be a fan on Facebook, who eventually got his number and offered him a bribe on Whatsapp ,” he told Sportstar .
While the bookies’ specific demands remain unclear, he conceded that they were willing to offer a whopping sum of ₹30 lakh.
“Not all footballers come from well-to-do backgrounds and the kind of money they’re offering could be what the footballer would make in his entire life!” he added.
Sunando Dhar, CEO, I-League, said, “The AIFF integrity officer, Javed Siraj, was contacted by Minerva regarding the issue. Minerva have reported the incident, and we are awaiting a detailed report.”
