SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — FIFA has banned South Korean star Choi Sung-kuk from playing professional soccer anywhere in the world for his part in a massive match-fixing scandal.
Choi was the highest-profile individual among the more than 60 former and current players and brokers who were indicted last year for their alleged involvement in rigging K-League matches.
Choi, who appeared in 26 international matches for South Korea from 2003 to 2011, was hit with a lifetime ban by the K-League and given a suspended 10-month prison sentence.
League officials said Friday that FIFA, the world governing body, had extended the ban to all of its member nations.
The 29-year-old winger had been close to signing with FK Rabotnicki in Macedonia’s domestic league only to see the deal collapse in February.
