Chinese referee cries foul over match-fixing link

Chinese referee Shen Huangying has denied a state media report that she was questioned by police as part of an ongoing match-fixing investigation, a Beijing newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Shen contacted the head of the Chinese Football Association (CFA) after four referees were named by local media on Monday, including the Global Times newspaper, which is owned by the Communist Party mouthpiece People's Daily.

"Shen called us this morning as she was shocked and confused to see the reports about her," CFA head Wei Di was quoted as saying in the Beijing Youth Daily.

"She had not turned on her mobile phone since January, which probably caused the speculation."

Chinese officials being questioned by police for alleged wrongdoing usually have their mobile phones confiscated.

The police have arrested more than 20 people, including Wei's predecessor Nan Yong and former CFA referees committee chief Zhang Jianqiang, in the investigation.

Wei said the CFA were only able to confirm that referee Huang Junjie was being questioned by police and asked the media not to speculate on the identity of others.