Chinese police investigate ex-top soccer official

Published Sep. 12, 2010 3:57 a.m. ET

foxsports

A state news agency says Chinese police are investigating the former head of China's scandal-plagued football federation on suspicion of bribery and match fixing.

Xinhua News Agency cited the Ministry of Public Security as saying Sunday that the investigation into Xie Yalong, former head of the widely disparaged Chinese Football Association is part of a widening probe into gambling and match-fixing.

Xinhua says two other former top football officials are also under investigation. The investigation has so far netted more than a dozen players and officials, including Nan Yong, the association's former top official who replaced Xie in 2009.

Football is widely popular in China, even though the men's national team is ranked No. 97 in the world.