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Celtic defender Du Wei denies Triad contacts
By Fang Xuan (www.yuzhongnet.com)
Updated: 2005-09-30 17:35
Celtic's Chinese defender Du Wei Thursday tried to clear himself from any
ties with a suspected gang leader in Glasgow during an interview with Chinese
media members.
 A report in last week's Sunday Mail said that Du Wei had met a
Chinese man recently at a local cafe who was believed to be a "a feared member
of the Wo Sing Wo faction of the Triads."
But Du told Sina.com, a
dominant Chinese news website, that he believed the man that he had met - who
had led a 100-person group to watch Du's training -- was an ordinary
football fan from the local Chinese community.
The Celtics, who signed Du Wei from the Shanghai Shenhai for 600,000 pounds
this summer, had previously explained Du's contacts with the man, saying that
the 23-year-old Chinese international was unaware of the man's dangerous
background.
Du had only intended to help build good relations with the local Chinese
community.
The Sunday Mail revealed that the man is Tat Ming Cheng, known by the
nickname Hak Jai. He "has been watched by police investigating prostitution and
credit card fraud," the newspaper said.
"I didnt know this Hak Jai's background," Du said. "I thought he was a
die-hard football fan. It's natural that I need to have a good bond with local
Chinese fans."
"When I learned this information from the media, I had a talk with my club,
and they understood me well, " Du said.
In China, many of internationals playing in the nation's domestic league have
had reported contacts with sinister gangsters, but Du Wei has never had any
reported involvement.
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