Two more China soccer officials are caught in corruption probe

Two more senior officials of the Chinese Football Association (CFA) are being investigated for suspected graft as part of a deepening crackdown on corruption in the sport.

The sports ministry on Friday March 24, said Wang Xiaoping, director the CFA’s Disciplinary Committee, and Huang Song, were both “suspected of serious violations” of law and discipline — the government’s usual bywords for graft.

Huang was being investigated by the ruling Communist Party’s corruption watchdog, the sports ministry’s anti-graft body and by authorities in Hebei province outside Beijing where the national soccer team maintains a training camp, the notice said.

The single-sentence announcements said Wang and Huang were cooperating with investigators but gave no details about the charges against them. Chinese prosecutors have wide powers to hold suspects for lengthy interrogations if state secrets are believed to be involved.

The announcements come barely a month after the head of China’s national soccer body Chen Xuyuan was arrested on corruption charges.

Chen was head of the Chinese Football Association and vice chair of its party committee, underscoring the government’s heavy hand in attempting to direct success in the game.