Chinese language chess scandal: 3 grandmasters banned for all times, 41 penalised as controversy rocks China
&w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1)
China has been rocked by a significant Chinese language chess (Xiangqi) dishonest scandal with investigations uncovering circumstances of match-fixing, bribery, and unethical conduct involving gamers and coaches. Three grandmasters have been handed lifetime bans, whereas 38 others face penalties starting from suspensions to official reprimands. The controversy has raised critical considerations concerning the integrity of the game.
learn extra
A significant dishonest controversy has damaged out in China associated to the Chinese language chess (Xiangqi) after the Chinese language Xiangqi Affiliation (CXA) penalised 41 gamers together with three gamers receiving lifetime bans, International Instances reported. The three gamers who’ve been banned from competitors for all times embrace grandmasters Zhao Xinxin, Wang Yang, and Zheng Weitong. The trio have additionally been stripped of their technical titles.
Moreover Zhao, Wang, Zheng, and 34 others had been suspended primarily based on the severity of their actions, whereas 4 people acquired official reprimands.
Chinese language chess grandmasters concerned in match-fixing
The Chinese language Xiangqi Affiliation has introduced that Zhao and 40 different gamers had been concerned in varied unlawful actions, together with match-fixing and bribery.
This isn’t the primary time that Chinese language chess has confronted allegations of match-fixing. In September 2024, top-ranked gamers Wang Tianyi and Wang Yuefei had been handed lifetime bans for match-fixing and bribery.
One of the crucial celebrated gamers of Xiangqi, Tianyi, is equated to Magnus Carlsen on the planet of Chinese language chess. He’s a four-time nationwide champion and three-time world champion. Tianyi was additionally the No.1 participant for a decade.
The suspension of Chines chess (Xiangqi) gamers started after “Recording Gate” scandal. In April 2023, audio clips claiming Wang Yuefei and Hao Jichao discussing match-fixing plans had been shared on social media platforms. This led to calls for of investigation towards the alleged gamers by Chinese language chess veterans Liu Dahua and Dang Fei.
Why Chinese language chess legends cheated?
In April 2024, the police launched investigations into a number of Chinese language chess gamers suspected of partaking in unlawful actions, together with match-fixing and different offenses. A complete inquiry revealed that quite a few gamers and coaches had been concerned in match-fixing, bribery, and varied types of corruption, with some people implicated in long-term and repeated misconduct, in line with Xinhua.
“The massive temptation of profit for a high-ranking participant to take care of his place and for a lower-ranked participant to earn more cash was too large to refuse typically in a sport, particularly between business golf equipment,” Cai Yi, a former Chinese language chess participant and a lawyer with Beijing-based DeHeng Regulation Workplaces, informed China Central Tv.
“As soon as a participant earns the grandmaster title, his look payment and bonus for every win at a match will rise considerably with the title promotion, prompting somebody to take some unlawful and determined steps.”
The Chinese language Chess Affiliation (CXA) emphasised that anybody nonetheless below investigation for alleged unlawful or unethical conduct will face strict motion in accordance with rules if the accusations are confirmed.
Xiangqi (Chinese language chess) is believed to have originated in China round 2000 years in the past. It’s a technique board sport performed between two gamers identical to chess. The Chinese language chess, nonetheless, is performed on a 9×10 sq. grid board.