Football gambling under the radar

• Source: Global Times
• [03:01 November 05 2009]
• Comments

"It especially thrives in the better established vocational football clubs," the person said.

Xu Yi, a sports writer based in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province wrote in his blog on sina. com Wednesday that a former national team coach and some players in South China are under investigation.

"Crackdown on football gambling will be launched in China soon with the focus on fighting against match fixing" he wrote in his blog.

Football frauds, which also includes umpires abusing power, have plagued Chinese football, said Ma Dexing, a veteran football commentator.

"The level of football will undoubtedly be improved if this problem is solved," he said. "With comprehensive laws, the authorities will solve the problem if they are determined."

Chinese top leaders recently talked about football development in public, stressing the importance of improving the game quality, and some regarded it as a good chance to boost football in China.

"I think this anti-gambling campaign could be seen as a signal to improve Chinese football and help football fans regain confidence," Wang Jiesheng, a football fan, told the Global Times Wednesday.

Sun Ye contributed to this story