Yunnan official dismissed for demanding athlete's prize money

An official at a sports training base in China's Yunnan province who was accused of demanding an athlete's prize money has been dismissed, according to a statement issued by the Provincial Sports Bureau.

Wang Li, a dragon boat athlete, posted a video on social media in December alleging that Fan, director of the Songmao Sports Training Base in Yunnan, had demanded she hand over 150,000 yuan ($21,498) of State-awarded competition bonuses after winning three gold medals at the 2023 Asian Games, according to the Beijing Daily app.

Following a comprehensive investigation, the bureau's investigation team determined that the allegations were largely substantiated, according to the statement released on Saturday.

As a result, the bureau's Communist Party committee has decided to remove Fan from his position, while relevant authorities have launched a formal investigation.

The bureau said it will ensure that Wang's rights and interests are protected in accordance with relevant athlete management policies and regulations.

In response to the incident, the bureau has launched a special rectification campaign, aimed at comprehensively strengthening discipline at work, improving the management system and enhancing mechanisms for protecting athletes' rights and interests.