台“超级篮球联赛”假球赌博案一审宣判 前年度MVP球员判刑7年

Core Viewpoint - The Taiwan "Super Basketball League" (SBL) has been embroiled in a match-fixing gambling scandal, leading to severe legal consequences for multiple players and coaches involved in the scheme [1][2]. Group 1: Legal Outcomes - A total of 15 individuals, including players and an assistant coach, received prison sentences ranging from 8 months to 7 years, with the MVP player, Ke Min-Hao, sentenced to 7 years [1][2]. - The Taipei Shilin District Court announced the verdict on November 17, 2023, with other players like Wu Ji-Ying receiving a 2-year prison sentence with a 5-year probation, and Senegalese player Bamba sentenced to 5 years and 2 months, subject to deportation after serving [2]. Group 2: Scandal Details - The scandal involved players intentionally manipulating game outcomes through poor performance, such as deliberate mistakes and outrageous shots, to profit from illegal betting on unregulated websites [1]. - Investigations revealed that the manipulation began in late 2022 during the warm-up matches of the 20th season, with at least 18 out of 39 games being implicated in gambling activities, resulting in illegal earnings exceeding 20 million New Taiwan Dollars [1]. Group 3: Broader Implications - The incident has sparked widespread discussion in Taiwan regarding the underlying issues of match-fixing and gambling in basketball, highlighting that the involvement of players in gambling may only represent the tip of the iceberg in a larger systemic problem [2]. - The Chinese Taipei Basketball Association has imposed severe penalties on the involved players, including cancellation of their registrations and lifetime bans from participation [1].