BEIJING: Two former Chinese soccer chiefs and several former national team players were handed lengthy jail sentences for taking bribes or match-fixing, state media reported yesterday, in a move to clean up rampant corruption in the sport.
Nan Yong, the former head of Chinese soccer, was sentenced to 10 1/2 years for taking bribes worth more than 1.48 million yuan ($232,300), the official Xinhua News Agency reported.
Xie Yalong, Nan’s predecessor, received an identical sentence and was fined 200,000 yuan for also taking bribes.
Nan and Xie are the highest-ranking officials to be caught up in an anti-graft campaign launched two years ago.
They told the courts they “need to consult with their respective attorneys to decide whether to appeal the verdicts,” Xinhua said.
Wei Shaohui, a former national team captain, received an identical sentence and fine as Xie, the report added.
Li Dongsheng, another former senior soccer official, was sentenced to nine years in prison for bribery and embezzlement.
Four former national team players Shen Si, Qi Hong, Jiang Jin and Li Ming were also sentenced to up to six years in jail for matching-fixing, Xinhua said.
A total of 24 people were sentenced in trials held in two cities in northeastern China’s Liaoning province, including several former general managers at clubs throughout the country for taking bribes, gambling and racketeering.
Ex-Chinese soccer chiefs jailed over bribes
