Ex-soccer chief Nan Yong charged with taking 1.48 million yuan bribes

The former Chinese soccer chief credited with leading China into their only World Cup finals has been charged with 17 counts of taking bribes worth 1.48 million yuan (about US$235,000).

Nan Yong, the former director of the Chinese Football Administrative Center, went on trial Wednesday in a court in the northeastern Chinese city of Tieling, a day after court proceedings opened against his predecessor Xie Yalong on similar charges.

Xie, 56, was accused of accepting bribes totaling more than 1.7 million yuan (US$273,000), but his defence team moved to have any confessions made by the CFA's ex-boss thrown out, alleging that they were obtained via torture.

Xie and Nan are the highest-ranking officials yet caught in China's ever-widening crackdown on soccer corruption, which has brought down dozens of officials, referees, club owners and players.