China looks into former head of the Winter Olympics delegation

China has announced that, as part of a drive to combat corruption in the sports industry, the previous head of its delegation to the Winter Olympics is being investigated for possible misconduct.The General Administration of Sport stated that Ni Huizhong, who most recently oversaw the nation’s winter sports management office, “is suspected of serious violations of discipline and law,” using a term frequently used to refer to purported corruption.

Huizhong, 54, previously held the position of secretary-general for the Chinese delegation during the Winter Olympics in Beijing, which were held in a bubble protected by Covid-19.

He is one of several sports officials that have been the target of criticism in recent months as the Communist Party in power pursues an anti-corruption campaign across the board.

This month, the chief public prosecutor in China announced that Li Tie, the former coach of the national football team, was facing charges related to corruption, including bribery.

One of the high-ranking football association executives to be the subject of graft investigations since November is Li, a former Premier League player.

The national snooker organization of China banned two players for life in June after they were implicated in a match-fixing scandal that rocked the game worldwide.Since taking office ten years ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping has relentlessly pursued an aggressive campaign against corruption.

While supporters claim the effort contributes to transparent administration, detractors claim Xi uses it as a pretext to remove political competitors.