Former Officials of Chinese Football Tried for Corruption

Beijing, Dec 19. -The former director of the Chinese Football Association Arbitration Board (CFA), Zhang Jianqiang, appeared in court to respond to charges of corruption, at the beginning of lawsuits against several people accused of that offense.In the proceedings against Zhang in the city of Tieling, in the northeastern province of Liaoning, he is accused of receiving bribes worth 376,000 USD from eight clubs and two administrative sports centers between April 1997 and October 2009.

In return, he selected referees or asked them to favor one of the teams, according to information cited by the Tieling Municipal Court.

More than 20 people will be tried this week, mostly former CFA and Shaanxi officials, including the latter´s former general manager, Wang Po, as well as Yang Yimin, former deputy director of the Chinese Football Management Center, charged with bribery and fraud.

Also appearing on the ist are Lu Jun, recognized as the country's most famous referee, who will appear before the Intermediate Court of Dandong, in the same province, for allegedly officiating in favor of Shenhua Shanghai in 2003. (Prensa Latina)