Former Olympic gold table tennis player Kong Linghui being sued for HK$2.5m by Singaporean hotel

Kong Linghui, also known as “ping-pong prince”, being sued by Marina Bay Sands for failing to fully repay debt to hotel’s casino according to writ filed in Hong Kong court

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China's Kong Linghui made his name on the world stage between the late 1990s and early 2000s. Photo: Reuters

Published: 8:15pm, 29 May 2017Updated: 12:41am, 30 May 2017

A former Olympic gold Chinese table tennis player is facing a HK$2.55 million lawsuit over a gaming debt to a prestigious Singaporean hotel – where he was dubbed “a premium player”.

Kong Linghui, also known as “the ping-pong prince”, is being sued by Marina Bay Sands for failing to repay fully a sum of S$1 million (HK$5.63 million) he borrowed from the hotel’s casino in February, 2015, according to a Hong Kong court writ.

Kong is one of the few table tennis players to have won a grand slam of titles, including the world championships, World Cup and Olympic gold. Photo: AFP

Kong made his name on the world stage between the late 90s and early 2000s by becoming one of the very few table tennis players to have won the grand slam of titles – the world championships, World Cup and Olympics. He won a total of three Olympic medals – two gold and one silver.

He is now the head coach of the national women’s table tennis team, according to the writ filed last Friday.

The court writ said Kong signed a credit agreement two years ago to borrow S$1 million from the operator, S$100,000 of which was drawn to establish him as a premium player. He had since repaid S$545,625 (HK$3 million), but failed to offset the balance in full, leaving S$454,375 unpaid.

The Lion City hotel is now seeking the remaining amount from Kong, as well as the interest incurred over that time.

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