11 Oct 2012

Polygraph test helping cut corruption, say Singapore FA

3:20 pm on 11 October 2012

The introduction of lie-detector tests for football players has had a big impact on reducing match-fixing and corruption in Singapore, according to the general secretary of the country's Football Association.

Winston Lee told delegates at a convention at Stamford Bridge, the home of European champions Chelsea, that the use of polygraph tests for players was a key deterrent in the fight against match-fixing, though it could probably never be eradicated totally.

His comments came shortly after the World Players' Union criticised a decision by Bulgarian club Lokomotiv Plovdiv to order its players to take lie detector tests following concerns over match-fixing.

Lee says the system had worked well in Singapore after being introduced on a random basis in 2001, and is now compulsory for all players.