Corruption critic Zhao Junzhe voted China's Footballer of Year

March 16, 2005

BEIJING (AFP) - Liaoning captain Zhao Junzhe, a leading critic of corruption in the Chinese game, has been voted Footballer of the Year.

The midfield maestro took the top honour despite slamming the way the troubled Super League was run last season, the state's Beijing Daily Messenger said, citing the China Football Association.

Zhao, 26, became the first player to openly criticize corruption and match-fixing in the league when he threw away his captain's armband and stormed off the field in a league match last September.

"We have to discipline ourselves, especially in such a bad soccer environment," said Zhao at the time. "I should not have been so impulsive as to throw away my armband, but I just want to stand up for my integrity."

A CFA official cited by the paper said "his integrity brought extra points for him".

Shenzhen Jianlibao coach, who led his team to the inaugural league title, was voted coach of the year, the paper said, adding that an official announcement was expected at a later date.

Zhu was recently appointed China's new national coach.

The league faced a near boycott last year due to the CFA's reluctance to implement market-oriented reforms and stamp out corruption.

Sponsors have stayed away in droves this year, forcing authorities to postpone the start of the season from March 5 to April 2.

Source: YahooSports.com

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