Gaye Alassane: The journeyman footballer who could lose his S’pore citizenship for global match-fixing

SINGAPORE — Gaye Alassane, the Mali-born football player who could be stripped of his Singapore citizenship for his involvement in global match-fixing, was just 19 when he started out with local Premier League club Tiong Bahru CSC in 1994.

He played as a defender before moving on to national league teams Wellington FC and Tampines Rovers. His last club was the now-defunct S-League side Gombak United, which he joined in 2000 and was a reserve player for one season.

Gombak United pulled out of the S-League at the end of the 2002 season due to financial problems. The club returned to the league four years later, but money woes saw the Jurong West-based team deciding to sit out in 2013.

Alassane, now 43, is understood to have obtained Singapore citizenship in 2003 after marrying a former employee of the Football Association of Singapore (FAS). TODAY understands that the couple were divorced 10 years ago, and their two children – a 17-year-old son and a daughter, who is 11 – live with their mother.   

While former club officials and teammates who knew Alassane described the journeyman as a jovial person who got along with everyone, they were also surprised to hear about the developments, and his involvement in global match-fixing. 

Mr John Yap, chairman of Gombak United, told TODAY: “I didn’t have much of an impression of him as it was so long ago, but I remember he wasn’t in the starting 11 and he didn’t feature in any of the games.

“When he was with us, he behaved himself well, and he was a jovial character.

“I am surprised that a player was involved in match-fixing. Gombak doesn’t believe in match-fixing. I cannot comment on that and what he did in his private life.”

A former S-League footballer, who played with Alassane in 2004 at National Football League side (NFL) Tampines 1951, added: “(He) was also very chatty and liked talking to people. But outside that I didn’t really know him very well.”

Veteran football official R Vengadasalam, who signed Alassane for Wellington FC in 1995, said: “He was an above average defender, and he was the joke of the team and everyone liked to tease him because of his ‘mop’ hair (dreadlocks).”

Mr Colin Chee, an ex-Football Association of Singapore (FAS) Council member, had worked with Alassane during his time as chairman of NFL Division 1 team Tampines Rovers Sports Club. He told TODAY: “Our relationship went back to the late 1990s when he played under me for two years at Tampines. At the time we were a semi-professional team, so there was no reason to suspect he was involved in match fixing or anything like that.

“I felt he was a very good guy, very friendly, and he was also very helpful. Unlike most other players, after training, he would help keep the balls, the cones, help clean up. I haven’t followed the local football scene for a while so this news is quite surprising.”

Alassane, who was detained without trial in 2013 for a period of about two years, is currently under Police Supervision Order. The father-of-two, who is believed to be living in Yishun, founded the A-Stars Soccer Academy in 2011 for budding young footballers before it was shut down after his arrest. He is believed to have worked as a football coach after his release from detention, and worked at TWG Tea earlier this year. He is no longer employed there.

A football official, who declined to be named, said: “I didn’t know about his background and private life but I feel sad for his kids. His son is a talented footballer.” ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY RAYMOND THAM