Hong Kong court rules in favour of ex-lawmaker Chim Pui-chung in libel case over soccer betting tactics

Columnist and newspaper ordered to pay HK$100,000 in compensation over commentary on Chim’s tactics for winning bets in 2014 soccer World Cup

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Chim Pui-chung was awarded compensation and costs in the libel case. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 8:45pm, 3 Feb 2017Updated: 10:52pm, 3 Feb 2017

The High Court has found an article that questioned former lawmaker Chim Pui-chung’s soccer World Cup betting formula and sharing of the “winning strategy” with television viewers to be “disparaging” and awarded him HK$100,000 in compensation plus legal costs.

Ruling in Chim’s favour, deputy High Court judge Anson Wong Man-kit said he was unable to accept that the author and the newspaper sued by the businessman were under any moral or social duty to publish the article in question.

In response, Chim, 71, said: “All I want is justice ... I hope the press can be more prudent [before publishing an article].”

The financial adviser sued Leung Pak-kin and Apple Daily – the Chinese-language newspaper that ran Leung’s column – for defamation over an article published during the 2014 World Cup.

The columnist described Chim as a “fool” after the former legislator had claimed on a TV talk show aired on the now-defunct Asia Television that punters could win if they bet on draws.

Chim claimed that football gamblers would eventually cover their losses with the next bet’s winnings if they doubled their stakes after any failed bet.