BEIJING (AFP) – The former chairman of the Chinese Football Association has been sentenced to life in prison for bribery, state media said Tuesday, part of a crackdown on corruption in the domestic game.
A court in Hubei province sentenced Chen Xuyuan to “life imprisonment for accepting bribes”, the Communist Party-run People’s Daily newspaper reported.
Between 2010 and 2023, Chen took advantage of his positions at the CFA and other bodies to “illegally accept sums of money from other people totalling RMB81.03 million (USD11 million)”, the report said.
He also sought “improper benefits for multiple football clubs and local football associations” in arranging matches, handling league promotions and disciplining match officials.
The report said that the bribes Chen took were “particularly huge” and his actions “seriously damaged fair competition and order”. He “caused serious consequences for the national football industry”.
Chinese President Xi Jinping — a self-confessed football fanatic — has waged a sweeping crackdown on official corruption since rising to power over a decade ago.
The campaign has struck harder at the domestic football industry since last year, and the conclusion four more major cases are expected to be announced on Tuesday, state news agency Xinhua reported.
