The two-and-a-half-month long investigation into the allegedly fixed match between Brothers Union and Rahmatganj MFS failed to find any incriminating evidence, it was revealed at a press conference at the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) House yesterday.

"The Fixed Match Identification Committee, on the evidence of newspaper reports, video footage and expert's opinion, felt that the match was below the usual standard of the league. However, the fact that they did not have enough incriminating evidence like pre-match information or other evidence which might suggest that this was definitely a fixed-match, the committee felt that the evidence they had was not enough to prove the allegation,” said chairman of professional football league committee Abdus Salam Murshedy as he read out a brief of the investigation report on the match played onApri!26,2012.

This move, although not unexpected al all, is a step back from the stance BFF took last year, when they handed Rahmatganj MFS and Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club hefty monetary fines along with suspending a player and an official for playing a 'compromised match'. It may be mentioned that then too the BFF's professional league committee did not have any concrete evidence other than media reports and television footage of the match, wilh the difference being that a few players were summoned to testify.

The technical committee however made a few suggestions such as involving personnel from the Home Ministry, Anti-corruption Commission and former national footballers in the committee, and taking help of authorities to acquire records of telephonic conversations of players and officials if needed, etc. These suggestions were also made last year, but none has yet been realised.