The Chinese Communist Party's corruption watchdog said on Thursday that former Deputy Sports Minister Xiao Tian, who once sat on China's Olympics committee, "will be prosecuted for graft after an investigation found he abused his position and took bribes," according to Ben Blanchard of REUTERS. China, "which is aggressively seeking to stamp out graft in Party and government ranks, has also sought to eject corrupt elements from its sports establishment," especially within football, which has been hit by match-fixing scandals. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said that Xiao, who as a deputy head of the General Administration of Sport "held a position equivalent of a vice minister, abused his position to get his wife promotions, took bribes, spent government money on banquets and had private companies arrange for him to play golf." It added that he also "sought benefits for others" in approving sports competitions and "sports industry operations." The watchdog said that Xiao actively sought to interfere in the investigation into him, shifting funds around and engaging in a "conspiracy of silence." It added that his case was "handed over" to the legal authorities, "meaning he will face prosecution" (REUTERS, 9/23).
