Young players during a training game in Luneng soccer school Photo: Courtesy of Shandong Taishan Football Club

Two more former top-tier Chinese soccer officials are under investigation, according to China's disciplinary watchdog on Wednesday, bringing the total number of senior soccer officials under investigation to eight. 

According to an announcement issued by the Hubei provincial commission for discipline inspection of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the provincial supervisory commission, former general manager of Chinese Super League Dong Zheng and former vice president of the Chinese Football Association (CFA) Yu Hongchen are under investigation for alleged serious disciplinary and law violations.

Dong and Yu have joined the list of a number of senior soccer-related officials subject to investigation as part of  the latest anti-graft campaign, which kicked off in November 2022. 

The other senior officials under investigation include Wang Xiaoping, director of the disciplinary committee of CFA, Huang Song, director of the competition department of the CFA, Li Tie, former head coach of the Chinese men's national team, and Chen Xuyuan, former president of the CFA.

On Monday, China's top anti-graft official announced plans to carry out more inspections targeting the General Administration of Sport, vowing to shine a light on corruption and institutional problems in sport, especially in soccer, which experts said reflects the nation's resolution to address corruption in soccer and advance reform to the sports administration.

The inspections targeting the administration will be "random," according to Li Xi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection during a conference on national disciplinary inspection work in Beijing on Monday.

Li also called for strengthening oversight and inspection with a focus on the country's most fundamental interests, and promoting the thorough implementation of the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and the CPC Central Committee's major decisions and plans.

Global Times