39 jailed or fined in soccer trials

TIELING, Northeast China - Thirty-nine people were given sentences ranging from no time to 12 years behind bars on Saturday as part of China's crackdown on soccer corruption.

Yang Yimin - former deputy chief of the Chinese Football Association (CFA), sentenced to 10-1/2 years in prison for taking bribes totalling 1.254 million yuan and had personal property worth 200,000 yuan confiscated.

Zhang Jianqiang - former head of Chinese referees, sentenced to 12 years in prison for taking bribes totalling 2.73 million yuan and had personal property worth 250,000 yuan confiscated.

Li Zhimin - former president of Shaanxi Guoli Club, sentenced to five years in prison for taking bribes totaling 2.5 million yuan and had personal property worth 250,000 yuan confiscated.

Wang Po - former manager of Tibetan Luhua Club, sentenced to eight years in prison on the charges of taking bribes and racketeering, and fined 230,000 yuan.

Du Yunqi - former president of Qingdao Hailifeng Club, sentenced to eight years in prison on the charges of racketeering and illegal detainment; had personal property worth 100,000 yuan confiscated.

Wang Xin - former head coach of Liaoning Guangyuan Club, sentenced to seven years in prison on the charges of bribing and gambling and fined 3.35 million yuan.

Li Zhimin - former president of Shaanxi Guoli Club, sentenced to five years in prison for taking bribes, plus a 250,000 yuan fine.

Fan Guangming - former CFA official, sentenced to 3-1/2 years for bribing, plus a 150,000 yuan fine.

The other 32 people were given sentences ranging from no time to 5-1/2 years on charges of bribing non-public servants, taking bribes as non-public servants, embezzlement, illegal detainment and disrupting public service.

Chengdu Sheffield Club - fined 600,000 yuan for bribing non-public servants.

Qingdao Hailifeng Club - fined 2 million yuan for bribing non-public servants.

(1 US dollars = 6.29 yuan)