Pro team to reward game-fix evidence

Brother Elephants owner Hung Jui-ho expressed his approval for offering cash to anyone who snap pictures of players appearing at suspicious gatherings that are later confirmed to be related to illegal gambling on professional baseball games.

The point of the public reward is for the masses of amateur paparazzi to rouse fear in the players so they would think twice before doing anything illegal, because they could be watched by anyone, Heng explained.

Heng's decision came after more pro baseball players been charged for their involvements in game-fixing to manipulate scores or throw games for sports gamblers.

Another team, La New Bears, just fired its star pitcher Chang Chih-chia after he became a defendant on game-fixing charges, on Tuesday. Chang, numbered 99, was released on bail of NT$80,000.

Although Chang has denied any attempt to manipulate the scores since the beginning of the probe, investigators found that he had taken loans from an underground sports betting syndicate to purchase luxury cars.

Chang's alleged wrongdoing was exposed by syndicate bookmaker Tsai Cheng-yi and two middlemen who told the police that some of the players had taken payments without completing the deal and cost the ring about NT$20 million in losses.

Current reviews of the game footages seem to support Chang's claim to not have thrown any game, however, his financial arrangement with the gambling ring is being considered a reciprocal deal by the investigators. Under the assumption that Chang had received payment from the syndicate, prosecutors said that Chang has either violated laws for game fixing or committed fraud against the bookmaker.

Whether he threw the game or not, some sports analysts say that Chang's professional career has effectively ended because given his defendant status, none of the other three local professional baseball teams would be willing to hire him.

It is hard for suspended players to keep up the physical training required for a comeback to the field, remarked Tsai Rei-lin, a lawyer for the baseball players union.

The Bears also plans to file a civil lawsuit against Chang for compensation. Chang was one of eight La New players being charged and later fired by the team. As of yesterday, 22 players and one coach of the local professional baseball league have been implicated in the scandal.

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