Shanghai stripped of title for match fixing

BEIJING - Shanghai Shenhau, briefly home to former Chelsea forward Didier Drogba, has been stripped of its 2003 league title and fined $160,000 as part of a new round of sanctions aimed at rooting out match fixing in the Chinese Super League.

The Chinese Football Association also banned 33 officials and players for life at the conclusion of a three-year investigation into corruption in the CSL, the Xinhua News Agency and other state media reported Tuesday.

Among those banned were former association chiefs NanYong and Xie Yalong, who were sentenced last year to 10 years in prison each.

Shenhua was also docked six points for the coming season as part of its punishment for fixing the result of a game against Shanxi Guoli on its way to the 2003 title. Another 11 clubs were also fined up to $160,000 and docked from three to six points for bribery and match fixing.

AP