Wilson Raj Perumal, a self-confessed match-fixer has claimed that he hand a hand in Nigeria's qualification for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
In his new book Kelong Kings, written in conjunction with Alessandro Righi and Emanuele Piano, Raj who is from Singapore said that he helped Nigeria qualify for the first World Cup tournament to be played on the African continent by influencing three players on his payroll to ensure Nigeria's victory in one of the qualifiers.
According to him, he also promised the Mozambique FA the sum of $100,000 as bonus if they were able to hold Tunisia to a draw, which would hinder Tunisia from overtaking Nigeria on the log. Eventually, Mozambique defeated Tunisia 1-0.
He also claims to have attempted unsuccessfully to bribe referees at the World Cup itself.
"My plan had worked and I was the unsung hero of Nigeria's qualification to the final rounds of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa," Raj was quoted as saying in his book.
Raj Perumal, is described as a self-confessed match-fixer, part of a syndicate that has been placed at the heart of a sophisticated network responsible for fixing hundreds of matches around the world. He was arrested in Helsinki in 2011 and sentenced to two years in prison. He agreed to co-operate with the authorities and implicated his fellow Singaporean Dan Tan, alleged to be at the heart of the fixing and gambling ring that placed bets on illicit Chinese markets.
Another world cup is fast approaching and it will be held in Brazil this year.
Nigeria's first game will be against Iran on June 16, 2014.
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