A top Chinese sports official under investigation for corruption was sacked on Thursday two weeks ahead of the vote on Beijing’s bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics.
Xiao Tian, former Vice Chairman, China’s national Olympic committee, was placed under investigation in June.
Tian was removed from his post as vice minister of the General Administration of Sport of China, the State Council announced through its human resources ministry website.
The bidding process for the 2022 Winter Games has entered its final phase as the International Olympic Committee prepares to elect the host city at its session in Kuala Lumpur on July 31.
Almaty in Kazakhstan is the other bidder.
Seeking to become the first city to host summer and winter Games, Beijing planned a budget of about $4 billion, a fraction of the estimated $50 billion spent by Russia on the 2014 Sochi Games.
dpa/NAN.