China sports body deputy chief under scanner for graft

Beijing, Apr 1 (EFE).- China’s sports body deputy chief Du Zhaocai is under investigation for alleged “serious violations of discipline and law,” which is often a euphemism for corruption.

State-run Xinhua news agency reported the graft probe against the senior official of China’s main sports body in a brief statement. But it did not detail the crimes Du allegedly committed.

Du, 63, is also secretary of the Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and one of the current vice presidents of the Chinese Football Association (CFA), a body plagued by corruption.

Du’s last public appearance was on Mar.24, when two CFA members were detained for investigation by the anti-graft agency of the Communist Party of China.

Former vice-president of the Chinese Football Association Wang Dengfeng was arrested over suspected embezzlement and bribery in February and expelled from the party last month.

Du was once a professional hockey player. After graduating from the Shenyang Institute of Physical Education, he served as a member and coach of the Liaoning Provincial Sports Commission.

Since January 2009, Du served as a member of the Chinese Olympic Committee and director of the Athletics Sports Management Center.

After he came to power in 2012, the current general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and president of the country, Xi Jinping, began an anti-corruption campaign in which numerous high-ranking Chinese officials have been convicted of accepting bribes worth millions.

Following his coming to power in 2012, President Xi Jinping began an anti-corruption campaign that has led to the conviction of several senior Chinese officials for accepting bribes.

More than 1.5 million officials have been sentenced.

But critics allege that Xi could use the anti-graft drive to end the political careers of some of his rivals.

The Chinese leader was re-elected in October last for an unprecedented third term. EFE

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