Jia B scandal outcome Following an enquiry into the Jia B scandal, the Chinese Football Association announced yesterday the decision to penalize Sichuan Mianyang, Chengdu Wuniu, Changchun Yatai, Jiangsu Shuntian, Zhejiang Lvcheng and Guangzhou Jili.
It was decided that Shanghai Zhongyuan Huili will be the only club to gain promotion to the Jia A, while Sichuan Mianyang, who had already been fined and deducted six points for allegedly having thrown their penultimate game of the season to promotion contenders Chengdu Wuniu, will be relegated to Division Two - a serious punishment meted out by the governing body of Chinese football in a season when no clubs were to be relegated.
Chengdu Wuniu, Changchun Yatai, Jiangsu Shuntian and Zhejiang Lvcheng have also been heavily penalised after the fiasco that took place during the final round of this year's Jia B season, just one day before the national team's victory over Oman in Shenyang that assured China of World Cup qualification. And Guangzhou Jili were punished following the team's refusal to finish their penultimate match of the season against Shanghai Zhongyuan Huili.
Translation of CFA announcements, made by Disciplinary Committee Head Zhang Jilong.
The decision to punish Sichuan Mianyang, Chengdu Wuniu, Changchun Yatai, Jiangsu Shuntian, Zhejiang Lvcheng.
To all Chinese Professional Soccer League teams and all football associates:
During the Chinese national team's 2002 World Cup qualifying round, Jia B clubs Sichuan Mianyang, Chengdu Wuniu, Changchun Yatai, Jiangsu Shuntian and Zhejiang Lvcheng seriously betrayed the sprit of fair play, seriously damaged the image of the Chinese Professional Soccer League and built up a very bad reputation for the Chinese game in the last two rounds of the season.
For the benefit of all clubs, to keep good discipline, eradicate corruption, and for the healthy development of the Chinese Professional Soccer League, the Chinese Football Association has, after thorough investigation of related events, decided to give the following punishment to the aforementioned clubs:
1. With the exception of Shanghai Zhongyuan Huili, no other Jia B club will be promoted to the Jia A.
2. The Chinese players who played in the games between Sichuan Mianyang vs. Chengdu Wuniu (Sept 29), Jiangsu Shuntian vs. Chengdu Wuniu (Oct 6) and Zhejiang Lvcheng vs. Changchun Yatai (Oct 6) will lose their right to register for the 2002 season.
3. The Chinese players who played in the games between Sichuan Mianyang vs. Chengdu Wuniu (Sept 29), Jiangsu Shuntian vs. Chengdu Wuniu (Oct 6) and Zhejiang Lvcheng vs. Changchun Yatai (Oct 6) will be deprived of the right to be transferred for the 2002 and 2003 seasons.
4. Sichuan Mianyang, Chengdu Wuniu, Changchun Yatai, Jiangsu Shuntian and Zhejiang Lvcheng will be deprived of the right to buy Chinese players from both Divisions One A & B and Division Two teams for the 2002 and 2003 seasons.
5. The Chinese head coaches of Sichuan Mianyang, Chengdu Wuniu, Changchun Yatai, Jiangsu Shuntian and Zhejiang Lvcheng will be banned for the duration of the 2002 season.
6. Sichuan Mianyang will be relegated to Division Two of the Chinese Professional Soccer League.
7. In the 3 months following this announcement, the aforementioned clubs are required to make internal enquiries and submit their results to the Chinese Football Association by 15 January 2002. The Chinese Football Association will then decide if these clubs have the right to play in league and cup matches for the 2002 season. The Chinese Football Association also reserves the right to penalize further players and coaches found to be in breach of the regulations.
The punishments will take effect immediately.
The Chinese Football Association sincerely hopes every club can draw a conclusion from this case and avoid similar situations in the future. The Chinese Football Association also hopes all clubs will create a fair play environment and contribute to the healthy development of the Chinese Professional Soccer League.
CFA Disciplinary Committee
16 October 2001