Chinese Government Signs Off On Reform Plan To Spur Growth Of Football

China's government said on Friday that the country's "footballing stars of the future need to start being trained from birth," as President Xi Jinping signed off on a "new plan to boost the country's much-maligned efforts at the sport," according to Ben Blanchard of REUTERS. Xi is an "avid football fan." The sport has faced a "persistent problem with corruption and match-fixing in China and the national team has fared poorly" on the int'l stage. The new "football reform plan" says that a country "strong in sports" needs to be good at football too, something that is the "ardent wish of the whole nation" (REUTERS, 2/27). CHINA DAILY reported entitled "The overall plan for the reform of Chinese soccer," the project calls for "increased public involvement and diversified training," including campus football and professional clubs, to develop young players and hone their skills. It also highlights the need for an "innovative approach, combining the state-run system with market forces" (CHINA DAILY, 2/28).