China establishes independent federation to run professional football leagues

BEIJING, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Professional Football League (CFL), an independent federation aimed at operating all levels of China's professional football leagues, was officially established on Thursday.

At the inaugural CFL general assembly in Beijing, representatives from 52 Chinese professional football clubs elected a 17-member council, comprising nine club officials and figures from government, media, legal, and other football-related sectors.

Li Kemin, 61, the former head of the Tianjin Sports Administration, was elected CFL director. "The CFL will unite all professional clubs to promote the healthy development of professional leagues in China," she said in her inauguration speech.

Yang Xu, vice president of the Chinese Football Association (CFA), along with three club representatives - Shanghai Shenhua board chairman Gu Jiqing, Qingdao Red Lions general manager Liu Yu, and Beijing Institute of Technology football club director Zhao Xi - were named CFL deputy directors. CFA official Shen Rui will serve as CFL secretary general.

According to the statement, the CFA has granted the CFL the right to operate and manage its three professional leagues, namely the Chinese Super League, China League One, and China League Two. The CFL will act as a member association of the CFA, independently overseeing the leagues' organisation, while the CFA remains responsible for supervising major regulations.  ■