Xie Yalong, former chief of the Chinese Football Association (CFA), is being investigated on suspicion of bribery and match fixing, said the police on September 12. Sources with the Ministry of Public Security said police and prosecutors had obtained clues after receiving tip-offs with the help of the General Administration of Sport.

Xie is the third former senior CFA official thought to be involved in a football corruption scandal. Former CFA vice presidents Nan Yong and Yang Yimin were arrested earlier this year on related charges.

Xie, 55, was appointed vice president of the CFA and chief of the Chinese Soccer Administrative Center in 2005. During his tenure, Chinese men's and women's football teams suffered a string of defeats in international competitions, including the FIFA World Cup tournament, the Asian Cup and Olympic Games. He stepped down in 2009 and later became board chairman of the China Sports Industry Group, the only listed company of the General Administration of Sport.

Two subordinates of Xie at CFA—Wei Shaohui, former manager of men's national team, and Li Dongsheng, former chairman of the CFA's Referee Commission—are also being investigated.