Minerva Academy FC Director Exposes Match-Fixing in Indian Leagues

Ranjit Bajaj, the director of Minerva Academy FC (a club with a history in India’s top division and the Punjab State Super League), has taken to the X (formerly Twitter) to voice serious allegations of match-fixing within India’s top football leagues. His allegations follow a suspicious match in the Delhi Football League that saw 2 questionable own goals.

Bajaj points to a trio of Delhi teams — Ahbab FC, Rangers, and Juba Sangha — as examples, citing shared ownership as a gateway to potential collusion for match-fixers. 

He doesn’t stop there, claiming that the I League, India’s second-tier division, is also marred by corruption.

In a candid disclosure, Bajaj recounts being approached with offers to fix matches, naming NEROCA FC’s head as one of the would-be conspirators. He paints a grim picture of Indian football’s battle with integrity, suggesting that the sport’s growth is stunted by unchecked corruption.

Adding an international twist, Bajaj alleges ties to a Singaporean syndicate once helmed by infamous match-fixer Wilson Raj Perumal.

To put things in perspective, Sportradar’s 2023 report identified 1329 suspicious matches worldwide, with football leading the charge — a statistic that lends weight to Bajaj’s concerns.