Authorities 2 - Corrupt Officials 0
Chinese football has long been plagued by allegations of official impropriety and corruption. Last year saw numerous top football officials in China, including former Chinese Football Association heads Xie Yalong and Nan Yong, arrested under suspicion of taking bribes and fixing matches. Xie Yalong, who served as Chief of the Chinese Football Association between 2005 and 2009, was taken into custody for questioning in September 2010 with regard to his alleged corruption. Xie was appointed to repair the public image of Chinese football and clean up illicit practices in the national league, but he failed to fulfill this goal. His successor Nan Yong was given the same task, but after just one year he too was arrested on bribe-taking and match-fixing charges. Sentencing for Nan Yong, who may face the death penalty for his crimes, and Xie Yalong is expected soon.
In spite of the game’s tarnished image, sports betting in China remains extremely popular, with 90% of all wagers on competitions involving football matches. The China Sports Lottery is the only legal form of sports betting in the country. The lottery is quite popular and rakes in huge annual profits, which are to be set aside for the development of public sporting facilities.
