A former senior Chinese soccer official claimed he was tortured into confessing during interrogations into alleged corruption.
Xie Yalong, a former deputy chief of the Chinese Football Association, made the accusations in the Intermediate People's Court in Dandong, northeast China, on Tuesday, the Shanghai Daily reported.
The 56-year-old previously admitted taking more than 1.7 million yuan ($273,000) in bribes from companies, clubs and individuals on 12 occasions between 1998 and 2008.
But he withdrew his confessions and denied most of the accusations against him in court Tuesday.
His attorney Jin Xiaoguang said, "Xie confessed the accusations so he could live. He confessed so that he could have the chance to stand in court and tell the truth to his family, letting his son know what kind of man he is."
Xie claimed he was given electric shocks, beaten and had water poured over him while he was naked. He also said officials held his wife after she visited him, in order to coerce him into making the confession.
Dozens of high-ranking soccer officials, referees and players have been prosecuted as China widens its crackdown on soccer corruption.
