Chinese Government Dismisses Olympic Leader

(ATR)With two weeks to go until the IOC chooses a host for the 2022 Winter Olympics, the vice president of Beijing 2022 has been fired.

Leaders in China announced that Xiao Tian would no longer serve as deputy director of the General Administration of Sport on Thursday.

Last month, the ruling Communist Party's disciplinary watchdog opened an investigation into allegations of graft surrounding Xiao.

Beijing News reports that investigators found problems including "opaque selection of athletes and judges for various competitions, and the bribing of some officials and judges at the last National Games in 2013."

The corruption allegations marked the first major scandal of what has so far been a quiet, two-city race for the 2022 Olympics. Almaty, Kazakhstan is the other contender.

Xiao, avice chairman of the Chinese Olympic Committee and vice president of the international basketball federation FIBA,pioneered China's winter sports development in 1998.At the 2002 Winter Games, China Daily says Xiao steered China to a gold medal.

The corruption investigation is part of China president Xi Jinping's efforts to root out corruption in government ranks since he came to power in 2013.

Around the Rings contacted Beijing 2022 on Thursday for comment on Xiao, but has yet to hear back from a representative.

The IOC will choose a host city for the 2022 Winter Olympics during its session in Kuala Lumpur on July 31.

Written byNicole Bennett

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