Chinese table tennis gold medalist sued over Singapore gambling debt

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Kong Linghui, one of China’s best-known table tennis players and now head coach of the country’s national women’s team, is facing a HK$2.55 million (S$452,931) lawsuit over a gambling debt to a luxury hotel in Singapore, according to a Hong Kong court writ.

Singapore has become a playground for Asia’s rich and famous, luring cash-rich Chinese gamblers who increasingly turned their attention to the city-state when a crackdown on corruption by Chinese President Xi Jinping took on high-rollers in the nearby gambling hub of Macau.

The writ submitted to the court by the Marina Bay Sands hotel said Kong signed a credit agreement two years ago to borrow S$1 million from it. The writ said Kong had since repaid S$545,625, but failed to offset the balance in full, leaving S$454,375 unpaid.

Kong could not be reached for comment. The hotel did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Kong is one of China’s best-known table tennis players, with two gold Olympic medals under his belt.

He made his name on the world stage between the late 90s and early 2000s when he won a total of three Olympic medals – the two golds and a silver.

Marina Bay Sands is controlled by US billionaire Sheldon Adelson’s Las Vegas Sands Corp.

Tuesday, May 30, 2017 – 13:15

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