CFA vows to get tough on cheats

Governing body plans 'zero-tolerance' cleanup amid match-fixing allegations

The Chinese Football Association has vowed to safeguard the future of the domestic game by taking firm action against match-fixing and doping.

On Monday, CFA officials met with leaders of local soccer associations, club representatives, players and referees to outline efforts to clean up the game in the wake of a controversial youth soccer game in Guangdong province that is under investigation.

"Match-fixing, fraud, gambling and doping are tumors that harm the healthy development of Chinese soccer," said Du Zhaocai, a deputy director of the General Administration of Sport of China during the meeting.

"Disciplinary and anti-doping measures have been lifelines for sports, and are crucial to the development of soccer and are among our top priorities.

"Everyone involved in the soccer industry should realize the importance of discipline and anti-doping work. We need to learn from each case we encounter, and seek to analyze and solve the problems.

"We are resolute in our work in this sector, and we have zero tolerance toward match-fixing and doping. We need to ensure a healthy environment and the better development of Chinese soccer."

An under-15 match between Guangzhou and Qingyuan at Guangdong's provincial games in Qingyuan made headlines earlier this month when the home team appeared to suddenly stop playing, allowing Guangzhou to turn a 3-1 deficit into a 5-3 victory.

The strange scenes sparked suspicions of match-fixing and prompted both the CFA and Guangdong province's disciplinary watchdog to launch investigations.

The incident also attracted huge attention online, with videos of the match becoming trending news, and fans expressing their outrage and disappointment.

The outcomes of the CFA and local investigations are not yet known, but according to Oriental Sports Daily, the incident was mentioned "14 times during the 65-minute CFA meeting" on Monday.

"The current problems have severely damaged the healthy development, image and sporting ethics of Chinese soccer. We have reached a moment when we must act to deal with the issue," said CFA president Chen Xuyuan at the meeting. "We must be resolute and implement solid measures to build a good environment for Chinese soccer."

Chen urged all members of the soccer community to recognize the importance of discipline and anti-doping. He also stressed that the organizers of competitions－of all levels－should be responsible in this regard.

A new blacklist system will be created to punish offenders, and Chen added that related regulations and laws should be refined.

"The impact of the alleged match-fixing at the under-15 final has gone beyond soccer. It could not only harm the image of Chinese soccer but also damage the development of the young generation of Chinese players," said sports commentator Han Qiaosheng in a video post online.

"Fans can accept that these days Chinese soccer is not as strong as many Asian countries, as long as we have a chance to revitalize it by developing the game for the future. But what's unacceptable is that such incidents can harm the growth of young players.

"The true victims are the kids that play the game. So we need to have a thorough investigation. It is by no means alarmist to say that Chinese soccer has entered a critical time."

The youth game furor adds to Chinese soccer's litany of woes－chief among which are the struggles of the men's national team on the international stage following another failed World Cup qualifying campaign, and the financial struggles of the professional leagues and clubs due to the pandemic.

"During the CFA meeting, the alleged match-fixing was mentioned multiple times. After Team China's disappointing qualification journey for the 2022 Qatar World Cup and the slump of Chinese professional soccer in general, this incident once again hurt the already fragile hearts of Chinese fans," read a commentary by Oriental Sports Daily.

"The reasons why the CFA hosted such a serious meeting at this time is closely related to a series of problems that have occurred. Such incidents will have a long-term effect on the younger generations of players.

"The teenage years are a very important period for any player. Match-fixing would give them the idea that training or hard work are not important at all."