KUALA LUMPUR • Three Indonesian players have been banned from all badminton-related activities for life after being found guilty of offences related to match fixing, match manipulation and betting, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) said yesterday.

Five players known to the trio were also found guilty of breaching the governing body's integrity regulations and were suspended for between six and 12 years. They were fined between US$3,000 (S$3,970) and US$12,000 each.

All eight players, who competed in lower-level international events mostly in Asia up to 2019, were provisionally suspended last January after a whistle-blower's report prompted the BWF to begin its investigation.

"Three of them were found to have coordinated and organised others into being complicit in the behaviour and have been suspended from all badminton-related activities for life," the BWF said in a statement.

The federation identified the players - Hendra Tandjaya, Ivandi Danang, Androw Yunanto, Sekartaji Putri, Mia Mawarti, Fadilla Afni, Aditiya Dwiantoro and Agripinna Prima Rahmanto Putra - in a report on its decisions.

It said they could appeal the decision in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within 21 days.

The BWF said a Malaysian who represents a brand that sponsors players was also hit with a life ban for offering money to players to manipulate matches.

"The BWF Integrity Unit had been investigating the individual for a number of years," the BWF said. "He abused his position of influence as an executive in a sporting brand in an attempt to corrupt international badminton and enrich himself.

"Due to the nature of the breaches and this person's access to and influence over players his company sponsored, the Independent Hearing Panel suspended the individual from badminton-related activities for life."

Hearings for both the cases were concluded late last year.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS