Ex-soccer boss says torture made him confess to bribes
By David Ni |
April 25, 2012, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
FORMER deputy chief of Chinese Football Association Xie Yalong said yesterday that he had been tortured into confessing during his interrogation in connection with China's soccer bribes scandal.
Xie, 56, previously admitted taking more than 1.7 million yuan (US$273,000) in bribes from companies, clubs and individuals on 12 occasions between 1998 and 2008, including 178,400 yuan from a leading Nike executive in China, Xinhua news agency said yesterday.
However, Xie withdrew his confessions and denied most of the accusations when he appeared before the Intermediate People's Court in Dandong, Liaoning Province yesterday. Xie's lawyer Jin Xiaoguang said they had applied to the court to exclude evidence obtained illegally.
"Xie confessed the accusations so he could live," Jin told reporters during a court recess. "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 that during his interrogation he was given electric shocks, was slapped and had water poured over him while he was naked.
He also said that, to force him to confess, officials held his wife after she had visited him.
According to court documents, Xie's bribe taking dated back to 1998 when he was an official with the State General Administration of Sports.
"Between May and June in 1998, Xie received 200,000 yuan from a Qingdao sports equipment manufacturer," the indictment reads. Xie is also said to have taken bribes totaling more than 1.5 million yuan when he was director of the Football Administrative Center and CFA executive deputy chairman between 2005 and 2008.
"He received 178,400 yuan from Li Tong, Nike China's marketing director, for helping Nike win a title sponsorship deal with the Chinese Super League," according to the indictment.
Xie is also said to have accepted 50,000 yuan from Zhu Guanghu in 2006 in return for keeping him as the national team head coach.
Wei Shaohui, former Chinese national men's team leader and CFA official, also went on trial at the same court.
Wei faced 15 accusations involving more than 1 million yuan in bribes from players when he worked as team leader of the Chinese national side. Wei denied 14 of the charges.
China's ever-widening crackdown on soccer corruption has brought down dozens of high-ranking soccer officials, referees and players.
Xie, 56, previously admitted taking more than 1.7 million yuan (US$273,000) in bribes from companies, clubs and individuals on 12 occasions between 1998 and 2008, including 178,400 yuan from a leading Nike executive in China, Xinhua news agency said yesterday.
However, Xie withdrew his confessions and denied most of the accusations when he appeared before the Intermediate People's Court in Dandong, Liaoning Province yesterday. Xie's lawyer Jin Xiaoguang said they had applied to the court to exclude evidence obtained illegally.
"Xie confessed the accusations so he could live," Jin told reporters during a court recess. "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 that during his interrogation he was given electric shocks, was slapped and had water poured over him while he was naked.
He also said that, to force him to confess, officials held his wife after she had visited him.
According to court documents, Xie's bribe taking dated back to 1998 when he was an official with the State General Administration of Sports.
"Between May and June in 1998, Xie received 200,000 yuan from a Qingdao sports equipment manufacturer," the indictment reads. Xie is also said to have taken bribes totaling more than 1.5 million yuan when he was director of the Football Administrative Center and CFA executive deputy chairman between 2005 and 2008.
"He received 178,400 yuan from Li Tong, Nike China's marketing director, for helping Nike win a title sponsorship deal with the Chinese Super League," according to the indictment.
Xie is also said to have accepted 50,000 yuan from Zhu Guanghu in 2006 in return for keeping him as the national team head coach.
Wei Shaohui, former Chinese national men's team leader and CFA official, also went on trial at the same court.
Wei faced 15 accusations involving more than 1 million yuan in bribes from players when he worked as team leader of the Chinese national side. Wei denied 14 of the charges.
China's ever-widening crackdown on soccer corruption has brought down dozens of high-ranking soccer officials, referees and players.
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