March 26—Chen Xuyuan, a former president of the Chinese Football Association (CFA), has been sentenced to life in prison for bribery in the latest crackdown on the country’s corruption-plagued football landscape, Andrew Warshaw reports for Inside World Football.
Chen is reported to have accepted more than (€10.3 million) in bribes following one of China’s most significant anti-corruption probes in years.
The sentence came after investigations into over a dozen high-level football officials since late 2022.
Jail sentences for corruption were also handed down to Chen Yongliang, former vice-secretary general of the soccer association, who received 14 years, and former vice-president Yu Hongchen, who received 13 years. Dong Zheng, former Chinese Super League general manager, was jailed for eight years.
The official Xinhua news agency reported that Chen had caused “tremendous damage” to Chinese football, citing a court ruling. According to state media, his assets were confiscated, and he was stripped of his political rights for life, a penalty often slapped on disgraced officials.
Chinese football has long grappled with corruption, which fans have blamed for the enduring poor performance of the national team.
Chen, 67, took over as head of the Chinese Football Association (CFA) in 2019. In a state TV documentary on corruption aired in January, he confessed to accepting bribes. He described one incident the night before he became CFA chairman when he received backpacks containing cash from two local football officials.
Confessions of corruption have become a standard feature on national television since President Xi Jinping came to power.
Former Everton midfielder Li Tie, who was once head coach of the national men’s team, and Du Zhaocai, former CFA vice chairman, who are both similarly accused of corruption, have yet to receive their judgments.
