New Delhi, March 27: Former Chinese Football Association (CFA) President Chen Xuyuan has been sentenced to life in jail for bribery, the state-controlled media reported. The Intermediate People’s Court in Hubei sentenced Chen Xuyuan to life in prison on Tuesday.
Chen was accused of corrupt practices as the President of the CFA from 2010 to 2023. He was under investigation for accepting bribes, that deprived him of political rights for life and led to the confiscation of his personal property.
According to the Intermediate People’s Court in Hubei, Chen Xuyuan was offered bribes on 217 occasions during his tenure and he pocketed USD 10.6 million (77 million yuan). The charges included those about investment operations and sports events.
On TV, he confessed to having accepted bribes and apologized to the Chinese fans. “I hereby apologize to the fans across the country and sincerely say sorry in the hope that they would forgive me.”
Chen Xuyuan has been jailed alongside other senior sporting executives. The court has also jailed former China national team coach, Li Tie, and Du Zhaocai, the ex-CFA Vice President.
