CONCACAF confirm Belize players offered bribe

Two Belize players were offered bribes to fix the result of their opening CONCACAF Gold Cup match against the USA.

Reports came to light after the game, which the USA won 6-1, that Belize players Ian Gaynair and Woodrow West had been approached with an offer to manipulate the outcome of the match.

The pair alerted authorities before the game, and CONCACAF, the governing body for football in North and Central America as well as the Caribbean, have identified the person involved.

“CONCACAF was notified of an attempt to bribe Belize national team players Woodrow West and Ian Gaynair on July 7th, two days ahead of their Group A, Gold Cup match against the United States that took place in Portland, OR,” a CONCACAF statement read.

“Both players directly approached confederation officials immediately after the incident took place to report the attempted offence. Following the report by the players, CONCACAF launched a full investigation alongside FIFA.

“Initial findings of this investigation have resulted in a positive identification of the individual attempting the bribery.

“We want to thank Woodrow West and Ian Gaynair and recognise them for their bravery and commitment to preserving the integrity of our game.”