Super Basketball League player bailed in match-fixing probe

Taipei, Oct. 18 (CNA) Super Basketball League (SBL) player Wu Chi-ying (吳季穎) was released on NT$250,000 (US$7,728) bail on Wednesday after being questioned on suspicion of match-fixing while playing for the Yulon Luxgen Dinos last season.

Wu was restricted from changing his residence as part of his bail arrangements after being taken in for questioning by prosecutors Wednesday for his suspected involvement in illegal gambling activities and fraud.

Wu has denied the match-fixing allegations, describing publicly released messages in which he discussed throwing specific games for illegal sports betting syndicates with his friend online as a "joke."

On Tuesday, Mirror Media published screenshots of conversations between Wu and a friend in which they discussed the mechanics of deliberately losing matches as well as arrangements for throwing specific games during last season's SBL.

Other outlets have reported that the Dinos fired Wu in June over the match-fixing claims and allegations he secretly sold two luxury watches belonging to the late Yulon Group CEO Kenneth Yen (嚴凱泰).

According to local media, the timepieces had been given to Wu by Yen's 18-year-old daughter Michelle, with whom Wu was reportedly in a romantic relationship.

In a social media post following the report's publication Wu - who did not dispute the screenshots' authenticity - said the messages were "just a joke" with his friend and that he had not engaged in match-fixing.

Wu also denied that he had sold the watches, saying he had only taken them to receive an expert valuation.

After the Shilin District Prosecutor's Office opened a probe into the allegations, Taiwan Beer announced Wednesday that it had agreed to a request from Wu to terminate his contract with the club.

The Chinese Taipei Basketball Association, which governs the semiprofessional SBL, said its disciplinary committee would hold a meeting on Wednesday to address the matter.

Yulon Group, the owner of the Dinos, has declined to comment on the allegations, stating only that Wu's contract with the SBL club had expired.