The Taiwan football association (Chinese Taipei FA) has told local media that there is no basis for allegations that its Chairman, Lin Cheng-yi, had been involved in match-fixing. “There is no way that the CTFA would ask national team members to throw a game”, a CTFA spokesperson told the China Post.

On Wednesday 22 April, Next Magazine reported that prosecutors were investigating allegations that Lin Cheng-yi had fixed the first leg of the first round tie of a 2018 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifier, which Brunei won 1-0 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The magazine reported that Lin fixed the match by ordering head coach Chen Kuei-jen to bench key players and by interfering with starting line-up decisions. It is understood that the magazine’s allegations included allegations that Cheng-yi had been in collusion with underground gambling syndicates.

Head coach Chen Kuei-jen also denied the allegations. “There is no basis to the accusation”, he told the Taipei Times. “If the judiciary wants to investigate, we will fully cooperate. We can come forward to talk forthrightly and answer questions by investigators, because I know the coaches and players are clean.” The Asian Football Confederation is understood to be monitoring the situation.