According to state media reports on Tuesday, a previous Chinese FA Chief has been given a life sentence for taking over $10 million in bribes. This comes after a significant anti-corruption investigation in the sport.
The punishment given to Chen Xuyuan, a former Chinese FA Chief, followed investigations into over a dozen high-ranking officials since late 2022. According to the official Xinhua news agency, Chen was found to have caused significant harm to Chinese football, as stated in a court ruling. Corruption has been a longstanding issue in the sport, with fans attributing it to the consistent underperformance of the national team.
In 2012, two former leaders of the same organization were each given 10 1/2-year prison sentences for accepting bribes. Chen, aged 67, started his career working on the docks in Shanghai and later rose to become the head of Shanghai International Port Co in the 2010s, before taking on the role of chairman of the Chinese Football Association (CFA) in 2019.
According to a report by Xinhua, a court in central Hubei province discovered that Chen had abused his various positions between 2010 and 2023, including roles related to the Chinese FA, to assist others with project contracts, investment activities, and sports event arrangements. In exchange, Chen received money and assets totaling more than 81 million yuan ($11.22 million). Chen admitted to accepting bribes in a state TV documentary series on corruption that aired in January, recounting an incident the night before he became Chinese FA chief where he received backpacks filled with cash from two local football officials. Confessions of corruption have become a regular occurrence on national television since President Xi Jinping initiated a widespread anti-corruption campaign.
“They came into my room, casually placed their backpacks on my sofa, and said, ‘Congratulations, President Chen, we hope you can take care of us more,'” he said.
“When I asked what they were offering, they responded it is just a tradition and they all do it this way.”
The People’s Daily, the official newspaper of the ruling Communist Party, stated that the battle against corruption has no definitive conclusion following Chen’s sentencing.
“The systemic corruption in football is by no means accidental,” the newspaper wrote. “It is imperative to trace back to the source and address the symptoms and root causes.”
Several football officials, including Chen Yongliang, Liu Lei, Yu Hongchen, and Dong Zheng, were investigated for corruption. Chen was given a 14-year prison sentence, Yu received 13 years, Dong got eight years, and Liu was sentenced to 2 1/2 years.
Li Tie, the former head coach of the national men’s team, and Du Zhaocai, the former CFA vice chairman, who were also implicated in corruption, are still awaiting their verdicts.
