BEIJING: The president of the Chinese Football Association (CFA), Chen Xuyuan (pix), is under investigation on suspicion of “serious violations of discipline,“ the CFA said on Wednesday.
The brief statement did not give any details on the potential wrongdoings of Chen but the phrase used could hint at corruption allegations, reported the German news agency dpa.
“Chen Xuyuan, the chairman of the China Football Association and the deputy secretary of the Party Committee, is suspected of serious violations of discipline and is currently under investigation by the Discipline Inspection and Supervision Team of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the State Supervision Commission in the State General Administration of Sport and the Hubei Provincial Supervision Commission,“ the Chinese statement translated into English.
It was unclear whether Chen has been taken into custody which normally happens in China after such allegations, with potential offenders charged by prosecutors once found guilty in investigations by the Communist Party.
The allegations are seen as another setback for Chinese football.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is an ardent football fan and wants to make his country a major player in the sport.
But the men’s team has only qualified once for the World Cup, and the football scene in the country has frequently been hit by corruption allegations.
These include former Everton player and temporary national team coach Li Tie who has been under investigation since last November on suspicion of “serious violations of discipline and laws.” –Bernama