KBO Requests Police Investigation into Illegal Golf Meetings During Season

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) has detected suspicious signs of illicit solicitations involving former representatives of professional baseball teams, current umpire committee members, and record committee members, and has requested a police investigation.

On the 12th, the Seoul Suseo Police Station announced that it received an investigation request from the KBO regarding allegations that former professional baseball team representative Mr. A played golf with current umpire committee member Mr. B and record committee member Mr. C.

The KBO had received a tip at the end of last year that Mr. A played golf with umpire committee member Mr. B and record committee member Mr. C during the regular season when he was the representative of a professional baseball team, and had been conducting a fact-finding investigation.

The KBO viewed the golf meeting between a professional baseball team representative, umpire committee member, and record committee member during the regular season as a serious matter that could undermine fairness, and formed an investigative committee to conduct a three-month investigation. However, due to the lack of compulsory investigative authority, difficulties arose in uncovering the facts, leading to a decision to request a police investigation.

Article 14, Paragraph 3 of the National Sports Promotion Act, titled "Prohibited Acts by Players, etc.," stipulates that players, managers, coaches, umpires, and executives of sports organizations involved in professional sports must not receive, demand, or promise money or property benefits in exchange for illicit solicitations related to sports competitions.

Article 148 of the KBO regulations also contains similar provisions. If fraudulent acts are revealed, players, managers, coaches, and umpire committee members may face disqualification, while team executives may be subject to suspension from duties and fines exceeding 10 million won.

A police official stated, "It is unclear whether the investigation request is a petition or a complaint," adding, "Whether to file charges will need to be reviewed."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.