<p>Singapore on Thursday revoked the citizenship of a Malian-born footballer for being a member of a global match-fixing syndicate.</p>.<p>The local media said Gaye Alassane, who played with a local club, was first detained in 2013 as part of a sweeping crackdown on match-fixing groups amid allegations that Singapore had become a hub for the illicit practice.</p>.<p>Announcing the latest move, the interior ministry said it had stripped citizenship from a 43-year-old who was an "active and trusted member" of a major syndicate which operated out of the Southeast Asian financial hub.</p>.<p>"The individual's serious criminal conduct not only undermined the integrity of Singapore's financial system but also law and order," said a ministry statement.</p>.<p>The Straits Times identified him as Malian-born Alassane, a naturalised Singapore citizen who first came to the city-state in 1993.</p>.<p>He is accused of travelling to other countries as part of match-fixing efforts and transporting bribe money.</p>.<p>Allegations of Singapore being used as a base for football match-fixing stained the city-state's reputation as one of the world's least corrupt nations and prompted authorities to launch a clampdown.</p>.<p>Alassane was reportedly a member of a syndicate led by businessman Dan Tan, which experts said was one of the most aggressive in the world.</p>.<p>Tan was first arrested in 2013 after being repeatedly cited in Italian court papers for his role in transnational match-fixing.</p>.<p>Tan has not faced a trial or been charged - it can be difficult to bring cases against alleged match-fixers as witnesses are sometimes fearful of testifying - but remains behind bars under a tough law that allows for suspects to be detained without charge.</p>.<p>Alassane was detained under the same law in 2013 but was later released and is now under police supervision.</p>.<p>He has the right to appeal the decision to revoke his citizenship, during which time he will stay in Singapore.</p>.<p>Police say global match-fixing generates billions of dollars a year in revenues, fuelled in part by the popularity of online betting on match results and game statistics.</p>
<p>Singapore on Thursday revoked the citizenship of a Malian-born footballer for being a member of a global match-fixing syndicate.</p>.<p>The local media said Gaye Alassane, who played with a local club, was first detained in 2013 as part of a sweeping crackdown on match-fixing groups amid allegations that Singapore had become a hub for the illicit practice.</p>.<p>Announcing the latest move, the interior ministry said it had stripped citizenship from a 43-year-old who was an "active and trusted member" of a major syndicate which operated out of the Southeast Asian financial hub.</p>.<p>"The individual's serious criminal conduct not only undermined the integrity of Singapore's financial system but also law and order," said a ministry statement.</p>.<p>The Straits Times identified him as Malian-born Alassane, a naturalised Singapore citizen who first came to the city-state in 1993.</p>.<p>He is accused of travelling to other countries as part of match-fixing efforts and transporting bribe money.</p>.<p>Allegations of Singapore being used as a base for football match-fixing stained the city-state's reputation as one of the world's least corrupt nations and prompted authorities to launch a clampdown.</p>.<p>Alassane was reportedly a member of a syndicate led by businessman Dan Tan, which experts said was one of the most aggressive in the world.</p>.<p>Tan was first arrested in 2013 after being repeatedly cited in Italian court papers for his role in transnational match-fixing.</p>.<p>Tan has not faced a trial or been charged - it can be difficult to bring cases against alleged match-fixers as witnesses are sometimes fearful of testifying - but remains behind bars under a tough law that allows for suspects to be detained without charge.</p>.<p>Alassane was detained under the same law in 2013 but was later released and is now under police supervision.</p>.<p>He has the right to appeal the decision to revoke his citizenship, during which time he will stay in Singapore.</p>.<p>Police say global match-fixing generates billions of dollars a year in revenues, fuelled in part by the popularity of online betting on match results and game statistics.</p>