TOKYO (Kyodo) — Japanese table tennis player Koki Niwa, a two-time Olympic men’s team medalist, had his club contract terminated Thursday after he was referred to prosecutors over alleged gambling.
Okayama Rivets in Japan’s T-League made the decision after the Chiba prefectural police on Jan. 20 sent papers on Niwa for betting through an overseas online casino site, according to an investigative source.
Niwa had admitted to the charge during voluntary questioning by the police but told the club that “none (of the betting) involved T-League matches.”
Okayama president Makoto Haba and team manager Kosuke Shiraga both took pay cuts as part of disciplinary measures.
“Professional players are expected to inspire dreams and it is an act that cannot be tolerated,” Haba said at a press conference in Okayama Prefecture.
“The T-League has been holding lectures for players to not violate public order and morality.”
Niwa, who won team silver at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and bronze at the Tokyo Games in 2021, said he had bet on overseas sports and roulette.
The source said Niwa is suspected of accessing the online casino site early in the summer of 2023 and paying for his bets using cryptocurrency.
“I did it without knowing it was illegal, and I’m reflecting on my mistake. I’m sorry to the fans,” he told Kyodo News.
The Japan Table Tennis Association is set to hold an ethics and compliance committee meeting over the matter.
