Goalkeeper Matasi suspended for 90 days following match fixing allegations

Kakamega Homeboyz goalkeeper Patrick Matsai has been suspended from football activities for 90 days to pave way for investigations into match-fixing allegations.

FKF had earlier on Thursday taken a more cautious approach towards Matasi's case, saying they needed time to investigate.

However, before the day was over, the situation had changed.

"The decision, made in accordance with Section VII (2) of the FKF Anti-Match Manipulation Regulations (2016), has been formally communicated to Kakamega Homeboyz FC and the player," FKF said in a statement.

FKF said in collaboration with FIFA, CAF, and other relevant authorities, it has initiated an official investigation into the matter.

"FKF upholds the integrity of football and has launched an official investigation in collaboration with FIFA, CAF, and other relevant authorities. We reaffirm our zero-tolerance policy on match manipulation and are committed to safeguarding the credibility of our competitions,” FKF said in a statement released earlier Thursday.

Matasi, currently the number one at Kenya Premier League club Kakamega Homeboyz, has been implicated in a match-fixing scandal after a video where a person resembling him is recorded negotiating with persons believed to be in the match-fixing business was leaked on social media.

The 37-year-old keeper who has also featured for the national team Harambee Stars is yet to comment on the matter.

Matasi joined FKF Premier League side Kakamega Homeboyz from Kenya Police in February after a disappointing time with Police where he was blamed by fans a few times for loose keeping.

Homeboyz Chairman Cleophas Shimanyula responded to the match-fixing claims, saying the goalkeeper remains innocent until proven guilty.

"As a club, we can only take action if we get proper proof that he has been fixing matches. The video circulating only shows Matasi talking, we don’t know whether it is the real Matasi, if it is edited or not," he explained to Flashscore.

"We have seen videos being edited before to paint some prominent personalities in a wrong way," he explained to Flashscore.