ID :
184552
Thu, 05/26/2011 - 09:32
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Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/184552
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Ex-national team player questioned in widening football match fixing probe
SEOUL, May 26 (Yonhap) -- A former national football team midfielder has been questioned by prosecutors for alleged involvement in a widening match-fixing scandal, which already saw two active pro footballers arrested this week.
Prosecutors in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, about 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul, said on Thursday that Kim Dong-hyun, for Sangju Sangmu Phoenix in the first-division K-League, was questioned earlier this week over his suspected role in match throwing. The Phoenix is a squad for the South Korean military athletic corps, with conscripted athletes doing their mandatory service time in football uniform.
"Kim is one of the suspects but since the investigation is ongoing, we can't identify his charges," a prosecution official said.
An official with the Phoenix football team added, "Kim Dong-hyun appears to be under suspicion of helping throw matches last season but he is denying all charges against him."
Kim, 27, has represented South Korea on the under-20, under-23 and senior national teams. He has one goal in six international matches for the senior team.
On Wednesday, prosecutors in Changwon said they arrested two active K-League players, along with two gambling brokers, in connection with alleged match fixing.
The players were identified on Thursday as a goalkeeper for Gwangju FC and a midfielder for Daejeon Citizen.
Prosecutors said players were allegedly paid to deliberately make mistakes and let their teams lose. They believe the two brokers, one of whom is a former pro football player, bet against the teams to which the arrested players belonged, and then made large sums of money as a result of alleged match fixing.
Gwangju FC head coach Choi Man-hee said they released the goalkeeper in question last Thursday, adding, "With rumors (about match throwing) circulating, we thought it was the best for the team to release him."
Another K-League official, asking not to be named, said one K-League club released several players late last year and claimed, "Most players who were kicked off for no apparent reason are related to match fixing."
K-League, which held seminars for players last fall and this spring about match-fixing prevention, scheduled an emergency meeting of all 16 general managers later Thursday to discuss the fallout from the scandal.
"This is deeply regrettable," said Park Yong-chul, spokesman for K-League. "But at this point, there's little we can do but to prepare ways to prevent recurrences."
Han Joon-hee, a football analyst for KBS television, said match-throwing allegations could affect trust among teammates.
"If a defender commits a mistake in the penalty area, then his teammates might grow suspicious," Han said. "And when players lose trust in each other, it will obviously affect their performances on the field."
Kim Won-dong, president of Gangwon FC and former secretary general for K-League, feared the sense of mistrust could spread to football fans.
"We should take this opportunity to eradicate match fixing in K-League," Kim said. "I understand some brokers are former players. The league and each team should set up sustainable education programs (on preventing match fixing)."
The scandal could be a devastating blow to a league already dealing with issues at the gate. K-League's attendance has dropped in each of the past three seasons, while its rival league, Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), has enjoyed record figures over the same period.
Prosecutors in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, about 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul, said on Thursday that Kim Dong-hyun, for Sangju Sangmu Phoenix in the first-division K-League, was questioned earlier this week over his suspected role in match throwing. The Phoenix is a squad for the South Korean military athletic corps, with conscripted athletes doing their mandatory service time in football uniform.
"Kim is one of the suspects but since the investigation is ongoing, we can't identify his charges," a prosecution official said.
An official with the Phoenix football team added, "Kim Dong-hyun appears to be under suspicion of helping throw matches last season but he is denying all charges against him."
Kim, 27, has represented South Korea on the under-20, under-23 and senior national teams. He has one goal in six international matches for the senior team.
On Wednesday, prosecutors in Changwon said they arrested two active K-League players, along with two gambling brokers, in connection with alleged match fixing.
The players were identified on Thursday as a goalkeeper for Gwangju FC and a midfielder for Daejeon Citizen.
Prosecutors said players were allegedly paid to deliberately make mistakes and let their teams lose. They believe the two brokers, one of whom is a former pro football player, bet against the teams to which the arrested players belonged, and then made large sums of money as a result of alleged match fixing.
Gwangju FC head coach Choi Man-hee said they released the goalkeeper in question last Thursday, adding, "With rumors (about match throwing) circulating, we thought it was the best for the team to release him."
Another K-League official, asking not to be named, said one K-League club released several players late last year and claimed, "Most players who were kicked off for no apparent reason are related to match fixing."
K-League, which held seminars for players last fall and this spring about match-fixing prevention, scheduled an emergency meeting of all 16 general managers later Thursday to discuss the fallout from the scandal.
"This is deeply regrettable," said Park Yong-chul, spokesman for K-League. "But at this point, there's little we can do but to prepare ways to prevent recurrences."
Han Joon-hee, a football analyst for KBS television, said match-throwing allegations could affect trust among teammates.
"If a defender commits a mistake in the penalty area, then his teammates might grow suspicious," Han said. "And when players lose trust in each other, it will obviously affect their performances on the field."
Kim Won-dong, president of Gangwon FC and former secretary general for K-League, feared the sense of mistrust could spread to football fans.
"We should take this opportunity to eradicate match fixing in K-League," Kim said. "I understand some brokers are former players. The league and each team should set up sustainable education programs (on preventing match fixing)."
The scandal could be a devastating blow to a league already dealing with issues at the gate. K-League's attendance has dropped in each of the past three seasons, while its rival league, Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), has enjoyed record figures over the same period.
