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?The rotten heart of Chinese soccer. [By Jiao Haiyang/china.org.cn]

More than two years after the nationwide crackdown on gambling and match-fixing which began in late 2009, Zhang Jianqiang, former director of the Chinese Football Association's (CFA) referee committee?became the first official to be put on trial this week.

 

Other former high-ranking officials, club managers and top referees will also stand trial later.

 

China's professional leagues have always been plagued with allegations of gambling and match-fixing which, coupled with the national side's poor performances, have long made the sport a source of disappointment for diehard fans.

 

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