Evergrande has been front and center of Chinese soccer over the past three years; especially since winning last year's Asian Champions League trophy.
Whatever problems Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba faces off the field, he demonstrated on Wednesday he remains fully focused on the African Nations Cup and is leaving a dispute over his club future strictly to the lawyers.
Although China has risen to be a world sports powerhouse, its recent performances in the three big-ball events - soccer, basketball and volleyball - have failed to inspire the public.
The seven detained former officials from the Chinese Football Association (CFA) will stand trial early next year.
China's nightmare of losing to its perennial rival, the Republic of Korea, continued on Monday as the host nation's U-21 men's soccer team was blanked 3-0 by the ROK at the Asian Games.
Famed former footballer Fan Zhiyi has claimed he is innocent of any allegations of match-fixing or gambling in an interview with Dongguan Times.
China coach Gao Hongbo remains unfazed despite two ordinary performances from the team following this year's World Cup. "Our target is to secure qualifying for the 2014 World Cup (in Brazil).
Chinese soccer chief Wei Di on Tuesday rubbished reports about him not wishing to see an Asian country win the rights to host the 2022 World Cup.
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