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28 March 2024

Former China boss jailed for 10 1/2 years

Published
By AP

The former head of China's football association was sentenced on Wednesday to 10 1/2 years in prison for taking bribes as part of a sweeping crackdown on corruption in the sport.

Nan Yong, who had been accused of 17 counts of taking bribes worth $235,000, was also ordered to pay 200,000 yuan ($31,700) in fines by the court in the northeastern city of Tieling. A verdict in a similar case against Nan's predecessor Xie Yalong is expected later Wednesday.

In other verdicts, four former national team players were sentenced to up to six years and fined 500,000 yuan ($79,000) for taking bribes to help fix the result of a professional league match. The harsh sentences appeared to be a strong warning against engaging in such formerly common practices in which players colluded with gambling syndicates and sometimes team officials and referees to ensure a particular score.

Two local association and team officials were also given suspended two-year sentences for paying bribes.

The verdict against Xie will be closely watched since his lawyers have moved to have his confessions ruled inadmissible, claiming they were obtained by torture.

Xie had told a court in another northeastern city, Dandong, that he confessed to some of the allegations only after being beaten and subject to electric shocks and other abuse.

Football is very popular in China, but the public has soured somewhat because of the bribery accusations, with corruption blamed for the relatively low standard of play in China.

China has made it to only one World Cup, in 2002, under Serbian coach Bora Milutinovic - Nan Yong's pick to lead the team - and is currently ranked 73rd in the world, sandwiched between Benin and Iraq.

Earlier trials of other football officials had resulted in sentences of up to 12 years.