In this file photo dated Aug 22, 2019, Chen Xuyuan speaks after being elected president of Chinese Football Association (CFA) at its 11th membership conference at the Xianghe National Football Training Center in Hebei province. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

WUHAN - A court in central China's Hubei province on Tuesday sentenced Chen Xuyuan, former head of the Chinese Football Association (CFA), to life in prison for bribery.

Chen has been deprived of political rights for life and all of his personal property will be confiscated, according to the court ruling, adding that his illegal gains will be recovered and turned over to the state treasury.

The Huangshi Intermediate People's Court found that Chen took advantage of his various posts from 2010 to 2023, including those related to the CFA, to help others in matters regarding project contracting, investment operations, and sporting event arrangements. In return, he accepted money and valuables worth over 81 million yuan ($11.42 million).

Chen Xuyuan was also found to have helped others in personnel promotions and arrangements, according to a court in central China's Hubei province

While serving at the CFA, Chen sought unfair benefits for multiple football clubs and local football associations regarding sporting event arrangements, team promotions in the league and referees' decisions, seriously undermining the order of fair competition and the industry's ecology, and bringing tremendous damage to the country's football cause, according to the court ruling.

He was also found to have helped others in personnel promotions and arrangements, according to the court.

The court said that about 4 million yuan of the bribes were not actually obtained by Chen. Furthermore, Chen had been cooperative in the investigation and in returning his illegal gains, which was taken into consideration when handing down the sentence.

Also on Tuesday, the court sentenced Yu Hongchen, former president of the Chinese Athletics Association, to 13 years in prison for taking bribes.