College players accused of theft in China

Accusations of shoplifting against three college basketball players have created a stir in the United States and China.

Three college basketball players detained in China over allegations of shoplifting this week will not be on the team's return flight to the United States on Saturday, ESPN reported.

The three UCLA students - freshmen LiAngelo Ball, Cody Riley and Jalen Hill - will reportedly remain in Hangzhou for a week or two.

Ball, Riley and Hill were questioned about alleged stealing from a Louis Vuitton store in Hangzhou, home of the game's sponsor, Alibaba.

They were taken into police custody on Tuesday morning and released early on Wednesday, a source told Reuters.

The players have been confined to their hotel in Hangzhou, and did not accompany the team when it travelled to Shanghai for its season-opener against Georgia Tech, which UCLA won 63-60.

Ball, the younger brother of LA Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball, declined to comment when reached by phone at his hotel on Wednesday. The others could not be reached.

Sources told Reuters that police had released the three on condition they remain at their hotel during the legal process.

Often China will deport foreigners suspected of having committed relatively minor offences.

The US State Department and UCLA athletics officials have declined to say how long legal proceedings might take.


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Source: AAP



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