Police have detained at least four people on suspicion of match fixing and gambling in a nationwide crackdown on soccer corruption.

The Ministry of Public Security told the Xinhua News Agency Wednesday in Shenyang, the capital city of Liaoning Province, that they had detained a number of former players, soccer officials and club officials.

The detainees include Wang Xin, Wang Po, Ding Zhe and Yang Xu, who were held on suspicion of "manipulating domestic soccer matches through commercial bribery."

Some of them were also suspected of gambling through foreign websites, said the ministry, which heads up the unprecedented large-scale investigation.

Police said Interpol-wanted former Liaoning Guangyuan team leader Wang Xin, together with former Shanxi club general manager Wang Po, had swayed several First Division league matches since 2006.

The First Division is the second tier league in China.

Wang Xin, a former player from Liaoning who later became the general manager of Liaoning Guangyuan club, proved to be a key person for the police to discover more under-the-table deals.

"During the investigation into Wang Xin's match-rigging scheme in Singapore, it was found that he also manipulated domestic matches through commercial bribery," said the police.

Wang Xin was wanted in Singapore in the beginning of the year after he fled the city state when his team's match fixing scandal in the Singaporean league was exposed.

Wang was caught in Liaoning in April, police said.

Also dragged into the match fixing scandal was current Chinese Super League team Guangzhou Pharmaceutical FC, promoted from the First Division in 2007 to the top flight.

Police said Wang Xin and Wang Po, officials from First Division club Shanxi, once offered to lose to Guangzhou and the latter paid 200,000 yuan ($29,000) for a 5-1 win in 2006.

Guangzhou was promoted to the top flight Chinese Super League the following season.

The two Wangs then placed bets on this game to earn over 100,000 yuan ($14,645).

"The honest suffers the most," Yang, former Guangzhou Pharmaceutical FC deputy manager, explained Wednesday why clubs would bribe and manipulate matches.

"There have been secret rules in Chinese soccer. I thought since everyone was doing that (bribing and manipulating matches), we would suffer for our honesty if we don't follow the practice," said Yang who was also former vice president of Guangzhou Football Association.

"I know it was wrong but I thought we could get away with it," he said.

The ministry did not reveal how many people were questioned in the probe or whether active players or big names were involved.

But it said the investigation was on going.

The ministry said in a statement on its website Wednesday that offering bribes to manipulate soccer matches lead to a poor image of the sport. The authorities intend to keep investigating crime in sports.

Global Times/Xinhua