Singaporean Charged with Offering Bribes to Fix Basketball Matches in Thailand, Philippines

Lim Jin Liang, a Singaporean citizen, has been accused for paying officials to rig basketball games in Thailand and the Philippines. Lim, a former general manager of the Singapore Slingers basketball club, was charged with eight charges of wrongdoing by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) on Tuesday, April 18.

Lim is suspected of proposing bribes to two basketball referees in Thailand in 2019 in order to influence the result of two matches between Singapore Slingers and Thailand’s Mono Vampire Basketball Club, according to court records. Lim is also suspected of paying another basketball official in the Philippines in 2017 in connection with a game between the Slingers and Alab Pilipinas.

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According to the CPIB, the investigation began in March 2020 following a tip from an informant, and the agency has been working closely with Thai and Filipino officials to collect evidence.

Lim has been granted bail in the amount of S$60,000 ($44,700), and his case is set to be heard in court on May 10. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to S$100,000 for each offense.

The Singapore Slingers, an ASEAN Basketball League professional basketball club, have released a statement stating that they have “zero tolerance” for any activity that jeopardizes the sport’s integrity.

The case shows the persistent issue of sports corruption, in which people attempt to influence game outcomes for personal benefit. It also emphasizes the significance of international collaboration in combating corruption, especially in transnational sporting events.