Soccer-Laos club banned from AFC Cup for match-fixing connection

Dec 14 (Reuters) - Lao Toyota FC will not be eligible to participate in the 2018 AFC Cup because of the Laos club's previous involvement in match-fixing, Asian soccer's governing body said on Thursday.

The Asian Football Confederation said the club was involved in match-fixing during the 2015 and 2016 AFC Cup seasons.

"Meeting yesterday, the AFC Entry Control Body (ECB) declared Lao Toyota Football Club ineligible to take part in the 2018 AFC Cup," the continental governing body said in a statement.

"The ECB established that the club was directly and/or indirectly involved in activities aimed at arranging or influencing the outcome of matches during the 2015 and 2016 AFC Cup seasons."

Earlier this year, the AFC banned 22 players and officials from Laos and Cambodia for life for their involvement in match-fixing.

The AFC Cup is a second-tier competition between clubs from developing nations of the continent. (Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly; Editing by John O'Brien)