Hong Kong authorities have arrested 11 footballers from the identical crew over allegations of match-fixing in a home league, the town’s anti-graft physique stated on Tuesday.
After a year-long investigation, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) on Monday detained 23 folks in whole, together with a coach, over the alleged fixing of leads to the First Division, Hong Kong soccer’s second tier.
The alleged offences embody bribery, manipulating match outcomes, and unlawful playing, ICAC principal investigator Kate Cheuk stated at a press convention on Tuesday.
“This operation is the largest in recent years carried out by the ICAC against match-fixing,” she added.
ICAC stated the match-fixing group was suspected of paying every participant as much as about HK$10,000 ($1,200) for every sport, relying on their impression.
“It’s not about how well they played but how well they faked (their performance) or how much they could help manipulate the results,” ICAC’s Cheuk stated.
The suspected footballers would both play passively so their crew would lose to a weaker rival, or they sought to realize a sure rating that was unpopular and at excessive odds, she added.
The group and a number of the gamers then guess on these leads to an illegally-organised scheme for income.
The arrested gamers and the coach belonged to the identical membership, which ICAC didn’t identify.
Local media, nevertheless, cited sources as saying they have been from Happy Valley, considered one of Hong Kong’s oldest soccer golf equipment.
The anti-graft physique stated they belong to a First Division crew that had performed 26 matches and gained eight within the 2022-23 season.
There are presently three First Division groups with eight wins — Happy Valley is considered one of them.
ICAC stated it has but to provide you with the entire amount of cash concerned because the probe continues to be ongoing.
