Chinese soccer body releases reform plan
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-10-27 08:02

Chinese Football Association (CFA) has released a reform program on Tuesday, hoping to pull the derailing Chinese Premier League back on track.

All the reform schemes are responding to the claims from top league clubs, which focus on opening financial budget to public, establishing a league company co-administered by CFA and clubs, and suspending relegation this season.

Yan Shiduo, vice president of China Football Association, poses for photo during a press conference Tuesday in Beijing. [Xinhua]

CFA vice president Yan Shiduo announced the reform decisions after a two-day marathon meeting between CFA and club runners with the participation of sports officials from local provinces.

Yan acknowledged the problems hampering Chinese soccer, relating to fixed matches, "black whistles" from corrupt referees and gambling on fake games.

"We cannot find any way out if we don't carry out reform on collapsing Chinese soccer. The CFA will give full consideration to the interest of clubs and help these money-losing clubs build up confidence and hope to make profit from soccer," he said.

The CFA agreed to release Chinese Premier League financial budget on November to public and then the final accounts at the early days of next year, but financial recount is only confined to this season.

This is a reply to clubs' accusation over the CFA of a lack of transparency and of corruption without sharing commercial revenues.

Another decision is to launch a company to run the business concerning the Premier League in the future with a preparatory group organized first. The group include CFA representatives, club investors and experts.

The company is meant to ensure a louder say for complaining clubs on running the league.

The CFA approved another request from clubs by suspending the relegation for the Premier League clubs this year without affecting the upgrading mechanism from the first division league, but refused to postpone the remaining five round top flight matches.

Dalian Shide and other six clubs have strongly demanded to put off the timetable for the following games before a reform action is taken.

Although soccer is widely popular in China, most professional teams are unprofitable and have frequent new owners. The game has suffered from a shortage of home talent. Continuous scandals and poor international performance alienated many spectators and exhausted the fervor of fans.

The turmoil of Chinese soccer heated up following a walkover by the Beijing Hyundai, incurring 300,000 yuan (36,000 dollars) fine and deduction of three points to the club in the 12-team Premier League standings. Match referee Zhou Weixin was suspended.

The CFA were quite angered by clubs' indiscipline behaviors which triggered an earthquake in Chinese soccer and prompted an outcry for a complete reform to the wobbling running structure. The CFA emphasized more on good order from clubs and strict training on referees for less disputed judgments.

The clubs' response to the CFA's announcement is still unavailable.

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