Soccer gets a boost with state support

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CHINA'S top sports official said yesterday that more favorable policies and financial support will be provided for the development of sports, especially football, by the government.

Liu Peng, director of China's General Administration of Sports, made the remarks in his report at a conference of sports officials.

Liu said China's national teams, especially football, basketball and volleyball, failed to achieve their goals in major competitions.

"Football is recovering in China with the league matches in better order, the sponsors high on confidence and more school students engaged in the sport," Liu said of football.

"But the fact that Chinese football is lagging behind our competitors cannot be changed in a single day. We must strive for its prosperity in the long run." The report stressed on measures to boost football, including scientific planning, youth training system, and reform of the professional league.

Xiao Tian, deputy director of the General Administration, said that a few obstacles needed to be removed while the leading position of the government should be assured. "We can't copy the exact mode of the Premium League or the NBA. We should explore our own path," Xiao said. "But we may also borrow from experiences in Japan and South Korea."

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