Shohei Ohtani claimed twice on Monday that he had never bet on baseball or any other sport or had done business with a bookmaker, declaring that his former interpreter had lied.
• Read also: Sports betting: the Ohtani scandal is only the beginning
• Read also: Major League Baseball investigates Ohtani and his interpreter
For the first time since major league baseball opened an investigation into sports betting allegations involving Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara on Friday, the Los Angeles Dodgers star spoke to the media late in the day, accompanied by a new performer.
A few hours before the preparatory meeting against the Los Angeles Angels, his former team, he began his ten-minute speech by speaking of a “difficult week for the fans and the team”, adding that he was “grateful that the media was patient.”
“On a personal note, I am very sad and in shock that someone I trusted would do such a thing,” he continued of Mizuhara, who was fired last week by the Dodgers during their stay in South Korea.
According to Los Angeles Times and the ESPN network, the 39-year-old performer allegedly stole $4.5 million from the bank account of last season’s MVP in the American League in order to repay his illegal betting debts in California.
“I have never bet on baseball games or any other sport and no one has ever bet on my behalf. I have never used a bookmaker,” said the $700 million man, without answering any questions from the media.
Not up to date
“In shock and without words to express his feelings,” Ohtani said he was “limited in what he could reveal,” referring to a document in front of him.
“Before a few days ago, I knew nothing about this story. In short, Ippei stole money from my bank account and he lied,” explained the man who excels both as a pitcher and with a stick in his hands.
“Last weekend in South Korea, media outlets contacted one of my representatives for comment on my potential involvement in sports betting. Ippei never told me about it. He told my representatives and reporters that I had paid a friend’s debts. When we did our research, we discovered that it was Ippei who was in debt and who told my representatives that I had helped pay. This is completely false,” said the 29-year-old Japanese, adding that he only heard about this situation after the first match in South Korea, during a team meeting.
“Ippei started to explain the case without translating anything for me, but I understood a little and there was some information missing. He said he had betting debts. I discovered when we returned to the hotel that his debts were enormous,” Ohtani said.
Focus on the season
A spokesperson for the Ohtani clan initially told ESPN that the athlete accepted the banking transaction to help his friend pay a bookmaker. The next day, this person reconsidered his version of the facts and the hypothesis of the theft was put forward.
If Ohtani transferred funds to a bookmaker, regardless of whether it was to cover someone else’s debts, he could be found guilty of participating in an illegal transaction.
Mizuhara previously told ESPN that he never bet on baseball games and that Ohtani had nothing to do with his illicit activities. However, he admitted breaking rule 21, which prohibits dealing with an illegal bookmaker.
In an era where sports betting companies are omnipresent during sporting events, MLB players and team employees can bet on sports other than baseball, but they are not allowed to do so with underwriters. illegal betting.
“The season is about to begin, so I will let my lawyers handle the matter and I will collaborate in the ongoing investigation,” concluded Ohtani.
MLB has always made an example of Pete Rose, banning the greatest hitter in history, with 4,256 hits, for life for betting on baseball games.
-With the collaboration of Stéphane Cadorette and the QMI Agency
2024-03-25 22:28:34
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