KUALA LUMPUR: The National Sports Institute (NSI) has started an internal investigation after its sports analyst, Jerry Gan, was banned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) for betting-related activities.
NSI chief executive officer, Ahmad Faedzal Ramli, said that the government agency is taking the matter seriously.
"The NSI is a government agency that upholds the values of integrity and professionalism in sports in the country. We will not tolerate any form of misconduct among our personnel, including involvement in gambling or betting that violates the ethics of sports," he said in a statement to Timesport.
"In this regard, we have initiated an internal investigation process based on the procedures and regulations currently in force. NSI remains committed to fostering a culture of integrity and professionalism within the organisation."
On Friday, the BWF handed out bans to Jerry and former national player Liew Daren after the duo was found guilty of breaching the BWF's Code on the Prevention of Manipulation of Competitions, having placed bets on international badminton matches between 2018 and 2022.
According to BWF's findings, Daren, a former World Championships medallist, placed multiple bets on matches, including high-profile tournaments such as the Thailand Open and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics badminton event.
Extensive digital evidence, including chat logs, bank statements, and betting records, uncovered his actions.
Jerry was implicated for failing to report Daren's betting activities and for placing his own bets on badminton matches.
Daren has been banned for 12 months, while Jerry received a three-month sentence.