Bitter cure for soccer

In a bid to crack down on malpractices in Chinese soccer and restore order in the game, the Chinese Football Association meted out a series of penalties to 12 clubs and 33 individuals on Monday. The move should sound the alarm to those who resort to irregularities for personal gain and encourage footballers to concentrate on winning matches through fair means rather than foul.

Shanghai Shenhua was stripped of the 2003 league title, fined 1 million yuan ($160,000) and deducted six points for next season, while 33 people were banned for life from soccer-related activities. The Shanghai club was found guilty of fixing a game against Shanxi Guoli en route to winning the 2003 league title.

The move drew diverse responses from the public, with many believing the punishments to be too lenient to produce the desired effect. In reply, the CFA explained that it has to maintain the normal order of the game and ensure that the league can continue.