Three members of the TSG Hawks received game suspensions and fines after an investigation by Taiwan’s CPBL into online gambling.
Both the baseball league and the TSG Hawks launched investigations after reports surfaced that three of the club’s pitchers — Guo Yu-yan (郭俞延), Chen Guan-hao (陳冠豪) and Wu Yu-cheng (伍祐城) — had been participating in online Texas hold ’em poker games.
Guo would be suspended for 10 games and fined NT$100,000, while Chen and Wu would be suspended for five games and fined NT$50,000, the CPBL said in a statement on Saturday.
Photo: CNA
The CPBL’s investigation found that an agent of Taiyu Sports Agency had involved Guo in the online poker games from January to June.
Guo in March introduced the online game to Chen and Wu, although they did not continue playing afterward.
As Guo was the initiator of the trio, he received the highest penalty, the statement said.
“Engaging in online gambling is not a sanctioned activity for players, which has tarnished Taiwan’s professional baseball... Baseball clubs must impose better internal monitoring and instruct players on the code of conduct,” it said.
“We ask all clubs and players to uphold the good image and core values of professional baseball, and to know what these mean for our society,” the statement said.
CPBL secretary-general Yang Ching-lung (楊清瓏) on Saturday confirmed he had received tip-offs that a sports agency “had enticed players to engage in online poker games involving betting,” and immediately launched a probe into the accusations.
It is a sensitive issue for the CPBL, as four players — Kuo Tian-shin (郭天信), Chang Cheng-yu (張政禹) and Tseng Chuan-sheng (曾傳昇) of the Wei Chuan Dragons, as well as the Fubon Guardians pitcher Tseng Jyun-yue (曾峻岳) — in August last year received suspensions and fines after being photographed playing poker with a group of people at gaming lounges.
Separately, Taiyu Sports Agency yesterday said in a statement that they would fully cooperate with the investigation of the CPBL, clubs and players’ union, while denying any involvement in the affair.
The alleged agent, Cheng Ming-yang (鄭銘揚), issued a statement denying that he was involved in introducing the players to the online poker game, or that he arranged for loans to pay off the players’ incurred debts.
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