AFC bans 5 in Nepal, 1 in Tajikistan for life over match-fixing

"These cases show that the AFC's strategy against match-fixing is delivering concrete results," the regional body said in a statement late Friday, adding that it has "a zero tolerance to match-manipulation".

Nepali official Anjan K.C. and the four players -- Bikash Singh Chhetri, Sandip Rai, Ritesh Thapa and Sagar Thapa -- were found guilty of offences relating to various friendly internationals during the period 2008-2012.

Tajik referee Murtazoev Parviz was found guilty of conspiring to influence the result of an October 6, 2015 match between the Maldives and Tajikistan in the AFC U-19 Championship.

Parviz, who was the game's appointed referee liaison officer, attempted to corrupt the match referee who reported the offence.

All six had been provisionally banned by the regional governing body's disciplinary committee in October.