Match-fix probe widens after nine held by ICAC
Beatrice Siu
Wednesday, January 08, 2014
The Independent Commission Against Corruption has confirmed that nine people, including six football players and the executive officer of first division side Happy Valley, have been arrested for alleged match- fixing.
A representative of the club's sponsor and an associate were also detained.
The six players, as well as technical director Sergio Timoner, were held on Sunday after the team had lost 5-0 in a league match.
Those being questioned are aged between 24 and 35 and include players Darko Bozovic, Lau Ka-shing, Sasa Mus, Chao Pengfei, Wilfred Bamnjo and Fan Weijun, as well as executive officer Hinson Leung Cheuk- hin.
It was reported that one of the foreign players had been previously jailed in his home country for match-fixing.
An ICAC spokeswoman said those arrested had since been released on bail.
The investigation arose from complaints alleging that some players of the club had been trying to fix the results of the First Division League and Canbo Senior Shield competitions organized by the Hong Kong Football Association.
A source alleged that the sponsor's representative and the executive officer had offered rewards totaling tens of thousands of dollars to those players who agreed to the deal.
At around 4pm yesterday, ICAC officers were seen escorting a player from his home and an hour later, two foreign players were seen at the ICAC headquarters in North Point.
At 7pm, about 10 people were seen leaving the ICAC headquarters, though most covered their faces and refused to answer questions.
Happy Valley's deputy manager Lo Kwun-ming said while the ICAC probe had affected their training schedules,13 members continued to train at King's Park yesterday.
