Minister vows to kick national soccer team into shape

Editor's Note: Three minister-level officials meet the media at the "Ministers' Passage" after a plenary meeting of the National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Sunday.

China's sports minister has vowed to put an end to the long-running slump in the men's national soccer program, beginning with a crackdown on corruption and a campaign to get more young people involved.

With the decline of Team China's international performances a nationwide concern, the country's soccer development, especially on the men's side, needs an overhaul with an emphasis on the fight against corruption within the governing body and a focus on youth promotion at the core, said Gao Zhidan, director of the General Administration of Sport of China.

"For a long period of time, the development of the men's soccer program has failed to live up to the expectations of the Party leadership and fans, with the men's national team's lackluster performances and chaos in the sector the focus of concern from across the country," the deputy to the 14th National People's Congress said on Sunday during interviews after a plenary meeting at the Great Hall of the People.

"Developing world-class prowess in the three collective big-ball games (soccer, volleyball and basketball) represents a true global sporting power. Yet, that's where we are falling far behind the world right now."

Underlined by the men's team's failure to qualify for the FIFA World Cup five times in a row, the sluggish development of Chinese men's soccer, hampered by corruption scandals involving top governing body officials and coaches, has been a pressing issue. The country is aiming to realize its ambition of becoming a world sporting powerhouse by 2035, a national goal highlighted in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25).

The latest target of anti-graft watchdog scrutiny into soccer administration, Chinese Football Association president Chen Xuyuan, was recently placed under investigation for suspected violations of discipline and law, according to an announcement by the Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Commission of Supervision.

Chen's investigation is linked to former men's team head coach Li Tie, who was placed under investigation in November by the national disciplinary inspection team and the Hubei supervision commission for corruption allegations involving his work with the national team and his previous job as coach of now-defunct domestic league club, Wuhan Zall. No details have yet been released.