Singapore basketball coach fired

Singapore, May 13: A Singapore basketball coach was fired from schools after teachers identified him in a local newspaper article about men who prey on young girls online, a newspaper said on Sunday.

The Sunday Times said the coach was fired from two schools after teachers identified him in the newspaper, despite his face being digitally masked, as one of the men who tried to hook up with a reporter posing as a 13-year-old girl.

''He is working with young girls and we have to protect them. We don't want to expose them to someone who could lead them astray,'' the principal of one of the schools was quoted as saying.

Both schools are attended by students between ages 6 and 12.

In the May 6 article headlined: ''You're 13? What's your bust size?'', the coach was quoted as saying he wanted to meet the reporter ''to cuddle a bit'' after meeting her in an online chatroom for teenagers.

He also sent her text messages inviting her to his house and saying that he wanted to ''eat'' her up.

After the reporter identified herself, he changed tack and said he was recruiting girls for his basketball teams.

Reuters>