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UPDATED: January 29, 2010 NO. 5 FEBRUARY 4, 2010
Soccer Turmoil
A nationwide crackdown on corruption, gambling and match fixing sweeps through the professional Chinese league
By YIN PUMIN
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Finding a future

NEW LEADERSHIP: Wei Di, former Director of the China Water Sports Administrative Center, is appointed as the new executive vice president of the Chinese Football Association on January 22 (BAI YU)

On January 22, Cui of the SGAS announced the appointment of Wei Di as the new executive vice president of the CFA. Wei is the former director of the SGAS' Water Sports Administrative Center.

"Chinese soccer is facing a problem that occurs in the course of development. I'm confident that I can settle it with your help," Wei said upon taking office.

On January 26, SGAS Minister Liu Peng vowed to crack down on gambling and match fixing in soccer nationwide.

"We should keep a firm resolve to fight corruption in soccer and regulate the sport. We have no mercy for those who break the law through match manipulation and gambling," Liu said.

His vow marked the strongest signal sent by authorities to date since the crackdown began last year.

To deal with these problems, Liu said the SGAS would work together with the MPS, the Ministry of Justice and the People's Bank of China to supervise the scandal-plagued domestic soccer league.

He also emphasized the need to develop the sport at the local level and build up reserves for the national team, as well as the need to regulate marketing for professional soccer.

Former CFA official Lang Xiaonong attributed the current problems to the lack of democratic decision-making.

"A small number of top officials made all the decisions on Chinese soccer and determined the destiny of the sport. There was not enough discussion or democratic decision-making, let alone efficient supervision," Lang said.

He said China decided to develop its professional soccer program in 1992. After two years of preparation, first division soccer made its debut in 1994. But the CFA did not change its role as the administrative department of Chinese soccer.

"The wrong was not in making the sport professional but in the management. Even today, Chinese soccer is under centralized management. It goes against the essence and law of professionalization and will lead to chaos in Chinese soccer," Lang said.

He believes that the Chinese soccer system needs major reform and that the CFA should be changed into a pure association instead of an administrative and supervisory authority.

"We should further develop laws and systems to catch up with the development of professional soccer," he said.

Cui promised that the SGAS would establish regulations and rules to rectify and develop Chinese professional soccer while at the same time it would start to strictly control administrative intervention from the CFA.

"I believe today's hard situation is just a link in the development of Chinese professional soccer. With efforts from different aspects, the sport will rise again in the near future," Lang said.

Timeline of the Crackdown

October 16, 2009 A special team with the Liaoning police force travel to south China's Guangdong Province to investigate and detain Zhong Guojian, former President of the Xiongying Football Club. This is the first official action in their latest anti-gambling operation.

November 6, 2009 Fan Guangming, a China Football Association advertising official, is required by Liaoning police to assist them with their investigation.

Police detain midfielder Lu Dong, one of the top 10 players of the Liaoning provincial football team.

November 7, 2009 Dalian police question more than 70 people including coaches, players and staff from Liaoning football teams.

November 8, 2009 It is reported that about 30 active football players are under police investigation, most of them from Liaoning Province.

November 9, 2009 Authorities release the secret punishment for the 2003 "anti-black-whistle storm" operation—six football teams including Shandong Luneng, Shanghai Shenhua and Zhejiang Greentown were fined and their coaches were warned.

November 10, 2009 Xie Feilian, former Xiamen Lanshi Football Club

assistant coach, admits to police that gambling was involved in 11 matches in 2005.

November 17, 2009 An unnamed official with Qingdao-based Hailifeng Football Club is reported to have absconded abroad while one of the team's key players said that two thirds of the club's players were involved in match fixing.

November 18, 2009 Shenyang Dongjin Football Team coach Duan Xin is questioned. Duan is the first active coach to become involved in the police investigation.

Leng Feng, a key forward for the Shandong Provincial Football Team, is arrested.

December 11, 2009 The Chinese Ministry of Public Security (MPS) discloses for the second time details of the match-fixing scandal, announcing that Xu Hongtao and You Kewei, the heads of the Chengdu-based Blades Football Club, had been arrested. Xu and You are accused of having given Qingdao team manager Liu Hongwei 300,000 yuan ($43,950) in cash and a fake invoice for 200,000 yuan ($29,282) for one month's rental of Chengdu's training base. For the big match on September 22, 2007, Qingdao fielded a reserve team and Chengdu won 2-0.

December 13, 2009 Police take Wang Shouye, General Manager of the Qingdao-based Hailifeng Football Club, from Qingdao to Shenyang, capital city of Liaoning Province, for questioning.

December 29, 2009 Former Sichuan Quanxing Football Club defender Zhang Weizhe is taken by police for investigation.

January 20, 2010 Titan Sports reports that police take in three CFA officials for questioning, including Executive Vice President Nan Yong.

January 21, 2010 The MPS confirms Nan Yong, Yang Yimin and Zhang Jianqiang have been summoned.

January 22, 2010 Sports Vice Minister Cui Dalin announces Nan's removal and the appointment of Wei Di as the new CFA executive president.

January 27, 2010 The MPS announces Nan Yong, Yang Yimin and Zhang Jianqiang have been detained according to law.

(Source: Xinhua News Agency)

 

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