ID :
184756
Fri, 05/27/2011 - 04:30
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/184756
The shortlink copeid
Scandal-hit football league to ask for games off sports lottery
SEOUL, May 27 (Yonhap) -- In response to recent match-fixing scandals, South Korea's top-division football league said it will ask relevant authorities to take its games off the national sports lottery.
The K-League reached the decision following a four-hour meeting of general managers from all 16 teams and senior league officials on Thursday. The state-run Korea Sports Promotion Foundation (KSPO) offers Sports Toto, the only licensed sports lottery in South Korea, and wagers can also bet on baseball, basketball, volleyball and golf.
The meeting came on the heels of a widening probe into match-fixing allegations in the K-League. Two active players have been arrested and a former national team player has been questioned over charges that they'd received money from gambling brokers in exchange for helping throw matches.
Prosecutors said gamblers bet on these football games through Sports Toto. There have been other match-fixing incidents in South Korean football, but never in the first-division league.
"The K-League and each club stand to suffer major losses with our decision," said Ahn Gi-heon, secretary general of the K-League. Teams receive portions of proceeds from sales of lottery tickets.
"But we decided to ask the KSPO to remove K-League games for the time being as a way of expressing our regrets," Ahn said. "Representatives from all 16 clubs have agreed to prepare additional measures in light of the scandals and to cooperate with the prosecution's investigations."
K-League regular-season games and K-League Cup matches will be subject to this move. Matches organized by the Korea Football Association (KFA), the local governing body of the sport, will not be affected.
Ahn said the K-League and KFA will jointly operate a new committee on eliminating corruption in the sport. The committee will keep an eye on any suspicious developments and will ask prosecutors or police for investigations if necessary.
In cases of match fixing, the K-League will suspend or ban involved players and also reduce the shares from Sports Toto sales for implicated clubs, Ahn added.
Ahn said some suggested during the meeting that the K-League temporarily suspend its play, but the majority believed the show had to go on.
"Many club representatives felt it was only a few players (that are being accused of match fixing) and it shouldn't affect the entire league," Ahn said. "It wouldn't be a right thing to do for our fans."
The K-League reached the decision following a four-hour meeting of general managers from all 16 teams and senior league officials on Thursday. The state-run Korea Sports Promotion Foundation (KSPO) offers Sports Toto, the only licensed sports lottery in South Korea, and wagers can also bet on baseball, basketball, volleyball and golf.
The meeting came on the heels of a widening probe into match-fixing allegations in the K-League. Two active players have been arrested and a former national team player has been questioned over charges that they'd received money from gambling brokers in exchange for helping throw matches.
Prosecutors said gamblers bet on these football games through Sports Toto. There have been other match-fixing incidents in South Korean football, but never in the first-division league.
"The K-League and each club stand to suffer major losses with our decision," said Ahn Gi-heon, secretary general of the K-League. Teams receive portions of proceeds from sales of lottery tickets.
"But we decided to ask the KSPO to remove K-League games for the time being as a way of expressing our regrets," Ahn said. "Representatives from all 16 clubs have agreed to prepare additional measures in light of the scandals and to cooperate with the prosecution's investigations."
K-League regular-season games and K-League Cup matches will be subject to this move. Matches organized by the Korea Football Association (KFA), the local governing body of the sport, will not be affected.
Ahn said the K-League and KFA will jointly operate a new committee on eliminating corruption in the sport. The committee will keep an eye on any suspicious developments and will ask prosecutors or police for investigations if necessary.
In cases of match fixing, the K-League will suspend or ban involved players and also reduce the shares from Sports Toto sales for implicated clubs, Ahn added.
Ahn said some suggested during the meeting that the K-League temporarily suspend its play, but the majority believed the show had to go on.
"Many club representatives felt it was only a few players (that are being accused of match fixing) and it shouldn't affect the entire league," Ahn said. "It wouldn't be a right thing to do for our fans."
