Also taken in were CFA vice-heads Yang Yimin and Zhang Jianqiang, it said. The Soccer Daily reported the men were taken away on Friday. The Xinhua report quoted the ministry saying the men were being questioned as part of efforts to stamp out match-fixing and other corruption in the sport but made no mention of whether the three were suspected of wrongdoing. Officials at the CFA and the sports ministry refused comment on the whereabouts of the three officials when contacted by AFP Thursday.
Following widespread allegations of organised gambling, crooked referees and match-fixing earlier this decade, the CFA announced in late 2006 that it had set up a joint task force with police to root out corruption in the sport. The arrests of at least 21 football and club officials have been announced since November, with police interrogating more than 100 suspects, according to press reports.