Earlier today, Melbourne Victory announced a front-of-shirt sponsor for the AFC Champions League, Hong Kong media agency, Kaishi Entertainment.
While appropriate due diligence was undertaken prior to the announcement and the AFC approved Kaishi, since that time further information has come to light which raises concerns about Kaishi’s link to an online betting agency, which the club takes very seriously.
While Kaishi has represented (and continues to represent) to the Club that it is not linked in anyway with betting, given this new information, Melbourne Victory has made the decision to wear a clean strip this evening in their match against Daegu FC.
We will then work with Kaishi to resolve any concerns we have ahead of our next AFC Champions League clash.
It is important to note that Melbourne Victory has not and would not actively enter into an agreement with a company in the gambling industry. The club respects and adheres to AFC apparel requirements and the brand and integrity of our existing partners.
The AFC and FFA have been kept informed on the matter, and we thank them for their support.
