Corruption Probe Targets Official Behind ‘Team China’ Brand and Olympic Gear
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China’s sweeping crackdown on corruption in its sports sector has ensnared another senior figure, as authorities investigate a former official responsible for equipment procurement and marketing for the national teams.
Wang Mingyan, the former deputy director of the Sports Equipment Center under the General Administration of Sport, is under investigation for suspected “serious violations of discipline and law,” the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said in a statement Thursday. The phrase is a standard euphemism used by the Communist Party to describe corruption and political misconduct.
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- Wang Mingyan, ex-deputy director of China's Sports Equipment Center, is under investigation for corruption and misconduct.
- The probe follows a broad anti-corruption drive in China’s sports sector, ongoing since 2022, which has implicated high-ranking officials.
- Wang oversaw Olympic equipment procurement and marketing, retiring in 2022 after more than six years in the role.
- Beijing Guoti Century Quality Certification Center
- Beijing Guoti Century Quality Certification Center is a third-party certification body where Wang Mingyan, a former official under investigation for corruption, served as chairman. Authorities have identified qualification certification as a sector particularly susceptible to graft, aligning with the ongoing anti-corruption efforts in China's sports sector.
- 2022：
- Beijing’s sports establishment purge began with the football sector.
- Before August 2022：
- Wang Mingyan managed the 'Team China' brand, IP rights, and sponsorship deals.
- August 2022：
- Wang Mingyan retired from the Sports Equipment Center under the General Administration of Sport.
- May 2024：
- Gou Zhongwen, former director of the General Administration of Sport, was placed under investigation.
- January 2025：
- The Communist Party’s top disciplinary body concluded a plenary session, identifying sports as a priority.
- By January 8, 2026：
- Wang Mingyan was placed under investigation for suspected serious violations.
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