Former England captain David Beckham is being lined up to promote Chinese football, state media said Friday, but fans say rebuilding the sport's shattered image may be too big a challenge even for him.
Officials have confirmed the superstar will make a highly anticipated tour of China "in which he will be appointed the CSL's (Chinese Super League's) ambassador", the state-run China Daily said.
The Chinese Football Association is not expected to confirm the trip until next week, but sports fans took to Internet message boards in droves to criticise the decision.
Many said installing Beckham -- currently with French club Paris Saint-Germain -- as an "international ambassador" will do little to address the core problems of the competition, which is battling to overcome match-fixing and bribery scandals.
"This is a superficial change by the CFA. Even if Beckham comes, what exactly is he going to do?," said one poster on Sina Weibo, China's version of Twitter.
"Chinese football will become even more rotten. Its prospects are bleak."
Another addressed the player himself: "Want to discredit yourself, or to launder money? You have come to the right place. You could spend half a lifetime disgracing yourself, handsome guy."
A CSL source told the official Xinhua news agency on Thursday it was "almost certain" the 37-year-old would take up the new role.
An official at IMG, which is described in Chinese media as a CSL "marketing partner", was quoted in the China Daily Friday saying: "Yes, we are indeed organising his visit to China as the ambassador."
None of the media reports signalled how much Beckham, who is known as "little Becks" in China, would be paid in the position.
Football in the country is reeling after years of corruption involving officials, referees and players.
A three-year investigation into match-fixing led to 33 people being banned for life and Didier Drogba's former club Shanghai Shenhua being stripped of the 2003 league title earlier this week.
The arrival of the Ivory Coast striker and Nicolas Anelka, his former team-mate at English Premier League side Chelsea, last year signalled to some commentators that Chinese football had turned a corner.
But both players have since left Shenhua, with Drogba going to Turkish league leaders Galatasaray in disputed circumstances and Anelka signing for Juventus on loan.
AFP
Fri Feb 22 2013
![Football: China corruption - mend it like Beckham? Football: China corruption - mend it like Beckham?](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2013-02/61360023854_295x200.jpg)
AWANI Pagi: Berita tumpuan & menarik di astroawani.com [16 Julai 2024]
[LANGSUNG] Fokus #AWANIpagi 16 Julai 2024 7.30 pagi,
Antara fokus Awani Pagi bersama Afiezy Azaman & Azib Zikry
1. Perkembangan kes bunuh Nur Farah Kartini
2. Waspada taktik penipuan gunakan teknologi AI, 'deepfake'
3. Pindaan Akta Antilompat Parti perlu dikaji secara teliti
Antara fokus Awani Pagi bersama Afiezy Azaman & Azib Zikry
1. Perkembangan kes bunuh Nur Farah Kartini
2. Waspada taktik penipuan gunakan teknologi AI, 'deepfake'
3. Pindaan Akta Antilompat Parti perlu dikaji secara teliti
![Cadangan guru Bahasa Inggeris dari Singapura antara tumpuan Dewan Rakyat hari ini Cadangan guru Bahasa Inggeris dari Singapura antara tumpuan Dewan Rakyat hari ini](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-10/41633311024_parlimentmalaysia.jpg)
Cadangan guru Bahasa Inggeris dari Singapura antara tumpuan Dewan Rakyat hari ini
Kalam minta Menteri Pendidikan nyatakan perancangan khusus berhubung cadangan itu dan langkah memperkasa guru Bahasa Inggeris tempatan.
![Penyasaran subsidi bukan untuk menyusahkan rakyat - Rafizi Penyasaran subsidi bukan untuk menyusahkan rakyat - Rafizi](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/71721091161_subsidi.jpg)
Penyasaran subsidi bukan untuk menyusahkan rakyat - Rafizi
Rafizi mengakui jika penyasaran subsidi tidak dibuat segera kadar unjuran ekonomi negara akan menjadi lebih teruk.
![Usah tertipu tawaran kontrak bekalan makanan di balai bomba Usah tertipu tawaran kontrak bekalan makanan di balai bomba](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/51721091171_scammer.jpg)
Usah tertipu tawaran kontrak bekalan makanan di balai bomba
JBPM Johor menerima beberapa laporan daripada pengusaha makanan mengenai penipuan tawaran tersebut.
![Kerajaan jimat RM10.5 bilion tenaga kumulatif dalam Pelan Tindakan Kecekapan Tenaga Negara - PETRA Kerajaan jimat RM10.5 bilion tenaga kumulatif dalam Pelan Tindakan Kecekapan Tenaga Negara - PETRA](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-04/61713155982_KementerianPeraliha.jpg)
Kerajaan jimat RM10.5 bilion tenaga kumulatif dalam Pelan Tindakan Kecekapan Tenaga Negara - PETRA
Sehingga Dis 2023, kadar penjimatan tenaga tahunan yang dicapai adalah 5.9 peratus atau 8,667 GWj, bernilai lebih daripada RM2.1 bilion.
![Konvensyen Dunia Fujian Ke-11 bakal lonjak pertumbuhan dagang, pelaburan dengan negara luar Konvensyen Dunia Fujian Ke-11 bakal lonjak pertumbuhan dagang, pelaburan dengan negara luar](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/61721052525_Fujianconvention.jpg)
Konvensyen Dunia Fujian Ke-11 bakal lonjak pertumbuhan dagang, pelaburan dengan negara luar
Penganjuran Konvensyen Dunia Fujian Ke-11 akan meningkatkan pemahaman pertukaran budaya dalam kalangan masyarakat Fujian dari luar negara.
![Enam kerusi Bersatu: Parlimen perlu dipertanggungjawabkan - Penganalisis Enam kerusi Bersatu: Parlimen perlu dipertanggungjawabkan - Penganalisis](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/41721087087_AgendaAWANI.jpg)
Enam kerusi Bersatu: Parlimen perlu dipertanggungjawabkan - Penganalisis
Manimaran berkata, Parlimen perlu dipertanggungjawabkan kerana menggubal undang-undang yang lompang dan lemah untuk dicabar mana-mana pihak.
Jenayah: Suspek dikait penemuan mayat Nur Farah Kartini direman hari ini
Seorang penjawat awam yang ditahan bagi membantu siasatan berhubung penemuan mayat Nur Farah Kartini Abdullah, 25 tahun, akan direman, pada pagi, hari ini.
![Kerajaan komited kekal trajektori konsolidasi fiskal - Kementerian Kewangan Kerajaan komited kekal trajektori konsolidasi fiskal - Kementerian Kewangan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-11/61635915618_economylaptop.jpg)
Kerajaan komited kekal trajektori konsolidasi fiskal - Kementerian Kewangan
Menurut MOF, defisit fiskal pada 2024 diunjur untuk terus berkurang kepada 4.3 peratus KDNK iaitu RM85.4 bilion.
Negara jimat RM10.5 bilion pelan tindakan kecekapan tenaga
Sehingga kini Negara berjaya melakukan Penjimatan tenaga kumulatif dalam tempoh pelaksanaan Pelan Tindakan Kecekapan Tenaga Negara (NEEAP) sebanyak 39,382 Gigawatt jam (GWj) bersamaan dengan RM10.5 bilion.
Kementerian Peralihan Tenaga dan Transformasi Air (PETRA) berkata Sehingga Disember 2023, kadar penjimatan tenaga tahunan yang telah dicapai adalah sebanyak 5.9 peratus atau 8,667 GWj yang bernilai lebih daripada RM2.1 bilion.
Kementerian Peralihan Tenaga dan Transformasi Air (PETRA) berkata Sehingga Disember 2023, kadar penjimatan tenaga tahunan yang telah dicapai adalah sebanyak 5.9 peratus atau 8,667 GWj yang bernilai lebih daripada RM2.1 bilion.
![Mahu 'Beckham' dilahirkan semula, anjing disemadi ikut ajaran Buddha Mahu 'Beckham' dilahirkan semula, anjing disemadi ikut ajaran Buddha](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2018-03/81520573698_AnjingMati.jpg)
Mahu 'Beckham' dilahirkan semula, anjing disemadi ikut ajaran Buddha
Seekor anjing bernama Beckham disemadi mengikut upacara kepercayaan buddha kerana mereka percaya boleh mempercepatkan kelahiran semula.