A corrupt football coach, banned for life by FIFA for match-fixing, discreetly plays for clubs in suburban Melbourne.
An ABC investigation reveals Zia Younan, who narrowly avoided jail for his role in a multimillion-dollar international syndicate, has returned to the field, playing for three clubs in Melbourne’s southeast and northern suburbs, despite a ban from the sport’s world governing body and Football Australia (FA).
The ban, which was first issued by Australian officials in 2015 and extended globally in 2016, prohibits Younan from “any football-related activity”, including playing, refereeing or attending official matches organized by Football Australia-affiliated bodies at any level in Australia.
Football Australia confirmed it was investigating the matter, but refused to answer questions from the ABC about whether the ban had been amended or lifted.
Zia Younan was given a suspended prison sentence and fined $3,000 for match-fixing in 2014. (Facebook: Dandenong City SC)
Younan was the head coach of Southern Stars Football Club in the Victorian Premier League when he was arrested by detectives, who had received a tip about huge sums of money being gambled on matches.
The Melbourne Magistrates’ Court later heard that he and England players Joe Woolley and Reiss Noel had fixed matches on behalf of a Singaporean syndicate which had bet tens of thousands of dollars on matches.
The court heard Younan’s role was to ensure international players working with the union were on the field so matches could be manipulated.
His lawyer told the court that Younan was a small cog in a much larger operation and saw match-fixing as a way of ensuring the club could pay its players despite their dire finances.
Younan eventually pleaded guilty to match-fixing and received a four-month suspended prison sentence. He was also fined $3,000.
England footballers Woolley and Noel were also fined after pleading guilty and giving evidence against other union members.
The Southern Stars Football Club was fined $10,000 and lost eight competition points by the Football Federation of Victoria after the scandal.
The club’s results were also declared invalid, which now raises the question of whether sanctions will be issued against one of Younan’s newest clubs.
A former senior football official said it was “astonishing” that Younan was able to play in the years following the Southern Stars match-fixing scandal.
“This was the biggest integrity issue in Australian football for 25 years,” the former official said.
“Nothing else can really compare to this gravity and scale.
“Maybe it’s understandable if this happened in another state or country.
“The fact that this happened in the same state and the original ban was (a Football Australia ban), it’s inexcusable.“
Leagues say they were unaware of FIFA ban
Records from GameDay, a competition management system, record that Younan has played at least 32 matches since 2021.
At least eight of those matches were played this year and were subject to the ban because they took place in leagues overseen by Football Victoria.
The other matches were played in an independent league where the ban does not apply.
Two clubs said they were unaware Zia Younan had been banned from football. (Facebook: Dandenong City SC)
The ABC spoke to two clubs and the independent league administrator – all said they would not have allowed Younan to play if they had known he had already been banned by Football Australia.
The former official said the situation raised questions about the effectiveness of Football Australia’s bans, saying the body had “washed its hands of it”.
Contacted by ABC, Younan challenged the ban.
“Your sources are incorrect,” he said in a text message.
Football Australia – the sport’s peak body, which issued the ban under its former name, Football Federation Australia – did not respond to questions from the ABC about whether it knew Younan was playing, whether he would face further sanctions or whether its bans could be effectively enforced.
“Football Australia is aware of this issue and is currently investigating the matter,” a spokesperson said.
Football Victoria (FV) declined to comment, including on whether Younan was a registered player – a condition of entering its competitions.
Younan is also not on Football Victoria’s carryover suspension register, where other life bans are recorded.
Records indicate Younan played eight matches for Hume Bulls FC in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, in competitions regulated by Football Victoria.
Hume Bulls FC chairman Sargon Ochana confirmed that Younan played in the club’s masters team.
Mr Ochana told the ABC that Football Victoria called him about three months ago and a manager told him Younan was suspended for life.
“I said, ‘OK, but how (can he) register with Football Victoria if he’s banned for life?'” Mr Orchana said.
He said the manager told him they would check with Football Australia and call him back.
But Mr Orchana said he had not heard from the head of Football Victoria.
The Hume Bulls have questioned how Zia Younan could be registered with Football Victoria if he was banned. (Facebook: Hume Bulls FC)
Younan also played for Dandenong City SC around two dozen times in the Bayside Football Association (BFA) – a league not regulated by Football Victoria and not subject to the bans.
There is no rule in the BFA disciplinary guide that states players must disclose a lifetime ban in another league and, as such, Younan was not required to report himself.
“The Dandenong City SC (DCSC) only became aware of Mr Younan’s life ban after investigations were carried out by the ABC,” said secretary Mato Andrijasevic.
“Mr. Younan did not disclose his ban to our club. If he had, the DCSC would not have allowed him to play.
Dandenong City SC said it was alerted to Zia Younan’s ban by the ABC. (Facebook: Dandenong City SC)
“The BFA lies outside the traditional regulatory pyramid of the game. Therefore, it is entirely possible – in fact, entirely likely – that neither the FV nor the FA knew that Mr Younan was playing football anywhere, because the BFA lies outside its jurisdiction.”
The Bayside Football Association said it was also unaware Younan was suspended for life until the ABC contacted it.
Players from the association, which is independent, are not registered with Football Victoria.
But its chairman, Andrew Ellis, said he still respected the bans from Football Victoria and Football Australia.
Asked if the association would have let Younan play if they had known, Mr Ellis said: “No, we wouldn’t.
“Lifetime bans are not given for unnecessary reasons,” Mr Ellis said.
The former head of football said there had been a “failure” in Football Australia’s systems.
“Someone banned for life… the system should report something,” they said.
“I think it’s clear now that that’s not the case.
“You would think that this type of control mechanism would exist as a game’s basic protection.”
Sports integrity expert Björn Hessert said it was up to Football Australia to impose a lifetime ban and urged it to investigate.
Dr. Hessert has worked as a lawyer at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the highest sports court in the world, and is currently an attorney at the law firm EPARTNERS, based in Zurich.
“I have never heard of a player or official returning to the sport after a sanction was imposed,” he said.
“We must ensure that someone who has seriously breached disciplinary rules or sporting rules cannot return to sport.”
Dr Hessert said it was necessary for Younan’s name to be published on a public register by Football Australia.
“I think it would be fair to publish his name on such a list,” he said.
