China frees UCLA basketball players held over ‘shoplifting’

Three US college basketball players detained in China for alleged shoplifting have been released.

The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) players had reportedly been caught shoplifting at a Louis Vuitton store in Shanghai last week.

US President Donald Trump said he raised the issue with China’s leader Xi Jinping during his Asia trip.

It remains unclear whether the charges have been dropped and if the players will be suspended from their team.

The three players, Cody Riley, LiAngelo Ball and Jalen Hill have returned home to Los Angeles.

UCLA Chancellor Gene Block said he was pleased the three had been released.

“Our primary focus has been on bringing our students back safely,” he said in a statement. “I want to be clear that we take seriously any violations of the law,” he added, and said the incident was being reviewed by the university.

Commissioner for the Pac-12 league Larry Scott said in a statement the “matter [had] been resolved to the satisfaction of the Chinese authorities”.

He thanked “the president, the White House and the US State Department for their efforts towards resolution”.

BBC