Taiwan‘s Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) has been forced to intervene after it discovered three players took part in online poker.
Guo Yu-yan, Chen Guan-hao and Wu Yu-cheng of the TSG Hawks were investigated after reports surfaced that they had participated in online Texas hold ‘em poker games.
Guo has been suspended for 10 games and fined NT$100,000 (£2,447). Meanwhile, Chen and Wu will miss five games and pay a penalty of NT$50,000 (£1,224).
A statement from the CPBL 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.
“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.”
Gambling in Taiwan is prohibited by the Criminal Code of the Republic of China.
According to the CPBL, it received a tip-off that the Taiyu Sports Agency had involved Guo in online poker games from January to June. Guo then introduced the online game to Chen and Wu in March, although they did not continue playing afterwards.
The Taipei Times reports that the Taiyu Sports Agency has refuted the claims and will cooperate with the league in its investigation.
Cheng Ming-yang, the agent at the heart of the controversy, has also issued a statement denying he was involved in introducing the players to the online poker game.
Dealing with gambling activity is not a new issue for the CPBL. Last August, the league suspended and fined four players who were photographed playing poker.
Elsewhere in Asia, 16 baseball players in Japan were fined ¥10.2m (£50,367) collectively for engaging with online casinos.
The only player named in the scandal was the Orix Buffaloes’ pitcher Taisuke Yamaoka, and the levels of sanctions issued to each player depended upon a myriad of factors, including the frequency with which the player gambled and their own salaries.
