5 arrested in Hong Kong match-fixing probe, Chinese player charged

5 arrested in Hong Kong match-fixing probe

HONG KONG — Hong Kong anti-graft authorities have arrested five players for allegedly trying to rig a top division soccer match in the former British colony last year.

The territory’s Independent Commission Against Corruption on Thursday charged one of the suspects, mainland Chinese player Yu Yang, with the offense of offering an advantage to an agent. The commission says the four other suspects, who were not identified, were to be released on bail later Thursday.

Yu, a 27-year-old former defender for Happy Valley who was cut in January, allegedly paid a fellow player for helping to fix a First Division match on Oct. 3.