Police will intervene in coach Jean Marie Ntagwabira’s match-fixing allegations only if Rwanda football federation (Ferwafa) makes an official request.The National Police Spokesman Superintendent Theos Badege confirmed the position to Times Sport yesterday. He said, “It will depend on the developments that will arise with the case but if Ferwafa requests Police to do so, then we will act accordingly.”Last week, Ferwafa’s Chief Executive Officer(CEO) Michel Gasingwa said they had decided to temporary suspend Ntagwabira as national team coach and any other football related activities pending further investigations into his match-fixing claims. The former APR, Atraco and SC Kiyovu coach pleaded innocence after being issued with the suspension.However, Ntagwabira maintains his statements were misunderstood. “People misunderstood my Kinyarwanda. I did not say I was involved in match-fixing. What I did was a way of scouting on my opponent.”“I gave Issa (Baritonda) money because I wanted him to get me information on Rayon Sport players and the technical team, and this information helped us on the technical side because we won the game and that is all I needed,” noted Ntagwabira.The former Rwandan international confessed to the media on July 6 in a news conference that he bribed Rayon players to throw a league match against SC Kiyovu, which he coached at the time in 2009. The encounter ended 3-2 in favour of Kiyovu.The former Amavubi Stars assistant coach added after learning of Ferwafa’s temporary action, “What I did was not match-fixing. I have never been involved in fixing matches and I never will.”The 38-year old is the only coach to ever win the national football league with two different clubs APR (4) and Atraco (1), and was rated by many as the best Rwandan coach ever. If Ferwafa’s ethics committee finds Ntagwabira guilty of match-fixing, he faces a five-year ban from all football related activities in Rwanda.
