The statement issued by Yunnan Province Sport Bureau Photo: Snapshot from the official Wechat account of Yunnan Province Sport Bureau

The Yunnan Province Sport Bureau announced on Saturday night that it has dismissed the director of a local sports training base following an investigation into allegations that he extorted prize money from an award-winning athlete, Xinhua News Agency reported on Sunday.

In a statement, the bureau confirmed that the allegations in a real-name tip-off by athlete Wang were "basically true" after a thorough verification by its investigation team.

The bureau's Party committee decided to remove Fan, director of the Songmao Sports Training Base in Yunnan, from his position. He has also been placed under further investigation by relevant authorities. 

The bureau added that it would ensure Wang's rights and interests are protected in accordance with athlete management policies.

In response to the incident, the bureau has launched a campaign to strengthen discipline, improve management mechanisms, and safeguard athletes' rights across all sports teams. 

According to a Beijing Daily report, athlete Wang Li, a canoeing and dragon boat racer who won three gold medals at the 2023 Asian Games, accused Fan of demanding she hand over 150,000 yuan (21,388) in state-awarded competition bonuses in a social media video. The video drew widespread public attention before the official investigation began.

Global Times