Chinese state media reported on Tuesday that a court in the central Chinese province of Hubei sentenced former Chinese Football Association (CFA) president Chen Suyuan to life in prison after finding him guilty of helping to organize matches and using various positions to commit financial crimes. This was reported by Reuters, according to UNN.
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The court found that between 2010 and 2023, Chen received bribes and valuables worth more than €10.3 million.
The official Xinhua news agency reported that all of Chen's personal property will be confiscated, and his illegal income will be seized and transferred to the Chinese state treasury
Other high-ranking sports officials received prison sentences for taking bribes.
Among them were Hong Chen, former chairman of the National Athletics Association, who was sentenced to 13 years; Chen Yongliang, a former high-ranking football official, who received 14 years; and Dong Zheng, former CEO of the China Football Association Super League Company, who was sentenced to eight years.
The court stated that Chen "has caused enormous damage to football in China".
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In February 2023, it became known that the disciplinary commission was investigating the then president of the FA. Chen was indicted last September. In January, Chinese television broadcast a documentary in which Chen allegedly made a confession.