Former Senior Chinese Sports Official Imprisoned for Taking Bribes

Published: 27 December 2016

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Chinese speed skater Wu Dajing (Photo: Chinese General Administration of Sports)

By Igor Spaic

A Chinese court sentenced the former deputy head of the country's State General Administration of Sports, a post equivalent to that of a deputy minister, to ten-and-a-half years in prison on Monday for accepting bribes while serving in several government posts.

The former official, Xiao Tian, reportedly confessed to accepting 7.96 million yuan (US$ 1.15 million) in bribes between 1997 and 2014. The Nanyang City Intermediate People's Court also seized assets worth 500,000 yuan (US$ 72,000).

The Associated Press reported in September last year that the internal disciplinary body within China's Communist Party had stripped Xiao of his party membership and of official duties. The party reportedly forwarded the case to authorities who initiated an investigation.

Chinese media reported that the court gave a relatively lenient sentence because Xiao had confessed, handed over his ill-gotten gains, and had provided authorities with previously unknown details of his corruption.