Part of China's soccer reforms is making China Football Association an independent body from the country's sports administration. (Photo : Reuters)
In order to realize the country's football reforms, the China Football Association will be an independent body and separate from the General Administration of Sports by the end of this year.
According to a Beijing Times report, the sports agency of China held a meeting on the morning of Aug. 17 with the national football association to release information on the government's football reforms. This coincided with the formal announcement of the separation.
As cited on the report, an official from the football association said, "football reforms are not easy to do, and loads of work need to be done."
"The arrangement of staff, salary as well as future development all need to be coordinated," the official added.
The report further remarked that most of the staff intend to retain their positions in the China Football Association when the authorities from the General Administration of Sports asked the country's football officials.
The new football association will become a financially transparent, non-profit and non-governmental organization. It is tasked mainly to oversee the development of football across the nation.
The management will be composed of representatives from the sports administration, regional football association and private football leagues, and football professionals.
The report also noted that the staff could receive an increase in their wages.
First released in March and pioneered by President Xi Jinping, the reform plan intends to boost football development in China, the world's most populous nation. It was already indicated in the scheme that the two bodies be separated to streamline the football management system.
