A court in China has sentenced the former vice president of the Chinese Football Association to 11 years in prison for taking bribes or gifts in exchange for favors, state news agency Xinhua reported on Monday.

The prosecutors had accused Li Yuyi of abusing his previously held positions at the Chinese Football Association and the Chinese Football Association Super League Company between 2004 and 2021.

The court also fined Li 1 million yuan ($139 million; €127 million). The probe concluded he had received money and valuables worth over $1.69 million in return for help rendered on various issues.

In March, Xinhua reported that in his final statement, Li pleaded guilty and expressed remorse.

Series of corruption cases in football

The court's verdict in Li's case follows a string of probes into more than a dozen high-level soccer officials since late 2022.

Football in China has remained enmeshed in corruption for a long time. The national team's continued poor performance, as football gains in popularity in China, has increased the public focus on shortcomings. Some fans have blamed China's struggles on corruption in the domestic game.

Before Li, two former chiefs of the same soccer association were charged with taking bribes and were sent to prison for 10 and a half years in 2012.

This year in March, one of the biggest corruption scandals hit the country when a former chief of China's soccer association was convicted of taking bribes worth more than $10 million and sentenced to life in prison.

Xi's ever-lasting anti-corruption crackdown

Under Xi Jinping's command, efforts against corruption have remained among the top priorities of China's Communist Party.

Since Xi Jinping took over the reins of the Communist Party in 2013, he has vowed to fight wrongdoing, pledging "zero tolerance" in the war against corruption.

In the last few years, however, thousands of officials, including some high-profile ones, have been penalized under Xi's anti-corruption drive.

Last year, Defense Minister Li Shangfu was sacked without any explanation two months after he disappeared reportedly after being investigated for corruption.

Experts have expressed concerns about Xi's sweeping anti-corruption campaign, saying it has become a vehicle to consolidate his political power.

mfi/rc (Reuters, EFE)