China league officials under questioning: report

The head of China’s scandal-rocked football association and two other top officials have been taken in for questioning amid a police probe into corruption in the sport, state media said Thursday.

Nan Yong, named to head the beleaguered Chinese Football Association a year ago, was taken in for “interrogation” by police in the northeastern city of Liaoning, Xinhua news agency said, quoting the Ministry of Public of Security.

Also taken in were CFA vice heads Yang Yimin and Zhang Jianqiang, it said.

The Soccer Daily reported the men were taken away on Friday.

The Xinhua report quoted the ministry saying the men were being questioned as part of efforts to stamp out match-fixing and other corruption in the sport but made no mention of whether the three were suspected of wrongdoing.

Officials at the CFA and the sports ministry refused comment on the whereabouts of the three officials when contacted by AFP Thursday.

Following widespread allegations of organised gambling, crooked referees and match-fixing earlier this decade, the CFA announced in late 2006 that it had set up a joint task force with police to root out corruption in the sport.

The arrests of at least 21 football and club officials have been announced since November, with police interrogating more than 100 suspects, according to press reports.

Besides the three CFA officials taken away by police, two other top association officials have also been told not to leave Beijing, the Soccer Daily said.

Corruption, on-field fights and other misbehaviour by players have plagued Chinese football for years, leading to dwindling attendance and frustration among fans and sponsors.

Dismal play by the national team, which failed to advance out of the early stages of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, has also led to widespread criticism of how the sport is managed in China.