China sentences former sports chief to death in corruption case

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Gou Zhongwen, the former head of China’s sports administration, has been sentenced to death with a two-year suspension of execution. He was convicted of accepting large bribes and misusing his authority.

The Yancheng court found Gou guilty of accepting bribes totaling over 236 million yuan (approximately $33.4 million) between 2009 and 2024, according to China Daily.

The judges found that he exploited his high-ranking positions in government to gain advantages for people and organizations by influencing project approvals and daily business dealings. They described the corruption as widespread and having a severely damaging effect on society.

The 68-year-old man lost his right to participate in politics forever, and the government took all of his possessions.

Former Chinese esports official sentenced to death

Gou received a five-year prison sentence for misusing his position while serving as a Beijing vice-mayor between 2012 and 2013. Authorities stated his involvement in a public project deal resulted in substantial financial losses for the state.

The defendant received a death sentence that was suspended, meaning it wouldn’t be carried out immediately. In China, this usually results in a life sentence if the person doesn’t commit any new crimes over the next two years.

Because of the seriousness of his crimes, the court decided Gou will never be released from prison, even after his death sentence is changed to life imprisonment. He won’t be eligible for parole or have his sentence reduced in any way.

Although the court recognized that Mr. Gou admitted to wrongdoing, revealed further bribery that hadn’t been discovered, and gave back the money he’d gained illegally, it determined these actions didn’t lessen the seriousness of his crimes.

Gou was formerly the president of the Chinese Olympic Committee and a key leader in organizing the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. He became involved with esports through his work with the General Administration of Sport, which officially added esports as the 99th recognized sport in China.

However, many people felt he didn’t support gaming and professional esports. As The Esports Advocate pointed out, even as esports became incredibly popular in China, Gou wasn’t seen as a champion of the industry.

In 2021, China implemented its strictest gaming rules yet. The National Press and Publication Administration, the agency responsible for approving games, limited anyone under 18 to just three hours of gaming per week. This rule also prevented minors from becoming professional esports players, as all pro players in China must be officially registered athletes – a requirement not found in traditional sports.

The sports administration had the option to resist or create special rules for esports, but Gou never took that approach during his time in charge.

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2025-12-09 19:49