SHENYANG, Northeast China, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese police have detained at least four people on suspicion of match-fixing and gambling in a nationwide crackdown on soccer corruption.

    The Ministry of Public Security told Xinhua on Wednesday in the capital city of Liaoning province that they had detained a number of former players, soccer officials and club officials, including Wang Xin, Wang Po, Ding Zhe and Yang Xu, on suspicion of "manipulating domestic soccer matches through commercial bribery."

    Some of them were also suspected of gambling through foreign websites, said the Ministry, which heads up the unprecedented large-scale investigation.

    Police said Interpol-wanted former Liaoning Guangyuan team leader Wang Xin, together with former Shanxi club general manager Wang Po, swayed several First Division league matches since 2006.

    The First Division is the second tier league in China.

    Also dragged in the match-fixing scandal was current Chinese Super League team Guangzhou Pharmaceutical FC, promoted from the First Division in 2007 to the top flight.

    The Ministry did not reveal how many people had been questioned in the probe or whether active players or big names were involved but said the investigation was still going on.

At least four detained as anti-corruption storm picks up in Chinese soccer

    SHENYANG, Northeast China, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- In what was regarded the biggest ever crackdown on soccer match-fixing and gambling, Chinese police have detained at least four former club officials.

    An unprecedented storm is picking up to cleanse Chinese soccer which has been long ridden with scandals. Full story

Bribery rampant in leagues, says former club official

    SHENYANG, Northeast China, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- "The honest suffers the most," a former Chinese soccer club official caught in China's crackdown on soccer corruption explained on Wednesday why clubs would bribe and manipulate matches.

    Yang Xu, former Guangzhou Pharmaceutical FC deputy manager, has been detained in a nationwide fight against match-fixing and gambling in Chinese soccer. Full story

Interpol-wanted former player proves linchpin in match-fixing crackdown

    SHENYANG, Northeast China, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- An Interpol-wanted former Chinese soccer player became the linchpin of a large-scale investigation into match-fixing and gambling in Chinese soccer, Chinese police said on Wednesday.

    Police by far have detained at least four people on suspicion of fixing Chinese professional league matches and gambling. Full story

Match-fixing scheme comes to light in nationwide crackdown

    SHENYANG, Northeast China, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- In China, a soccer league match could be won at a bargain price.

    A First Division league match in 2006 was won by the side who paid 200,000 yuan (29,000 U.S. dollars), said the police in northeast China's Liaoning Province which spearheaded what was regarded the biggest ever crackdown on soccer match-fixing and gambling. Full story