June 13, 2012
Translated by Tang Xiangyang

 
The Chinese football association, whose Super League is trying to lure stars like Chelsea’s Didier Drogba, suffered another blow to its reputation on Wednesday, when courts handed ten-and-a-half year prison sentences to two of its former vice presidents and the ex-manager of the national team.

As well as those officials, former national players Shen Si (申思), Jiang Jin (江津), Qi Hong (祁宏) and Li Ming (李明) were all found guilty of taking bribes and sentenced to more than five years in prison.

Chinese domestic football has long been infamous for bribery and match-fixing – losing investors like Dalian Wanda owner Wang Jianlin – but two months ago, there was some public sympathy for one of the convicted vice presidents, Xie Yalong (谢亚龙), when he said that the investigators had tortured him.

 
The court on Wednesday said that Xie had taken bribes totaling 710,000 yuan, all of which had been confiscated. Xie and the other convicted vice president, Nan Yong (南勇), were each fined 200,000 yuan.

 
The court ordered the same fine for Yu Shaohui (蔚少辉), who managed the national team from 2006 until 2010 and accepted bribes to field particular players. In total he received payments worth 1.23 million yuan, the court said.

Links and Sources:
Sina Sports 南勇一审被判10年6个月并处罚金20万
原国足领队蔚少辉一审被判处10年6个月有期徒刑
Economic Observer Stiff Sentences in Chinese Football Corruption Case
Soccer Boss\' Torture Undermines Justice