Dirty pitches and black whistles threaten football

• Source: Global Times
• [23:13 November 09 2009]
• Comments

By Liu Xin

The recent exposure of illegal gambling and match-fixing in China's top professional football league, the Chinese Super Football League, shocked tens of millions of fans. It also prompted the relevant government departments to finally show red cards to the scandals that have been hampering the development of football in China.

With more than 100 players, coaches, referees, club officials and industry insiders being questioned, plus several other senior officials being detained, this is definitely China's biggest ever crackdown against football scandals.

Such moves can, to some extent, relieve fans who hope for fair play in matches. However, at the same time they may worry whether the biggest cancer in the sport can really be eradicated.

Actually, China's fight against football scandals dates back to 2001, when the infamous "black whistles"investigation took place and Gong Jianping, an international referee, was sentenced to 10-year imprisonment for accepting bribes.

However, that investigation concluded without any concrete results, and three referees whose names were once on the "black whistle"list even went back to professional football to blow their whistles again.

Han Qiaosheng, a football commentator at CCTV, pointed out that antigambling e. orts were not sufficient before, and he doubted that the current efforts to crack down on gambling would last long.

"I hope our anti-gambling e. orts don't turn out to be just for show,"He said, explaining why he lost interest in Chinese football.