A former University of Sheffield student has been arrested following a match-fixing scandal in the Chinese Super League.
Tony Xu, who is president of the Chengdu Blades, a football club owned by Sheffield United, was arrested along with twenty other prominent figures in Chinese football.
Mr. Xu, who obtained an MBA from the University’s Management School, is suspected of bribing an official from rival club Quingdao to throw their match against Chengdu Blades in 2007.
A 2-0 victory in that game proved instrumental in the Blades’ eventual promotion to the top flight that season. Mr. Xu and his deputy allegedly paid their opponents a sum of 300,000 yuan and promised to invest a further 200,000 yuan in Quingdao, amounting to a bribe worth a total of roughly £45,000.
Although Sheffield United have not been accused of playing any role in the scandal, the news will not be well received at Bramall Lane. United, who also hold stakes in Ferencvaros of Hungary and Australia’s Central Coast Mariners, have not released an official comment on the situation but may be forced to review their investment in the Sichuan-based club.
Chengdu have received a substantial amount of funding from United since they were purchased in 2006. This enabled the construction of a state-of-the-art football academy, with Sheffield United chairman Kevin McCabe among those present at its grand opening in Chengdu city five months ago.
The police crackdown also saw the arrest of Nan Yong, head of the Chinese Football Association. His replacement, has vowed to root out corruption within the game but faces an uphill struggle.
Chinese football has been mired in controversy, and this latest news will only further damage the international reputation of the country’s sport. Allegations that footballers bribed CFA officials for selection in the national squad were quickly followed by the latest revelations about match-fixing in the league.
A FIFA spokesperson said: “FIFA is totally committed to fighting any form of corruption in football, and places great importance on ensuring that this is done also at the level of our member associations, including the Chinese FA.”