(ECNS) - The Chinese Football Association will encourage regional football matches for young players rather than national tournaments and introduce a blacklist to encourage honesty among footballers at an early age, said a senior official.
Liu Xifu, director of CFA's youth football department, said the association will not encourage large-scale national competitions so that more funds can be concentrated on developing young players.
He said it's too early for young players to compete in national competitions due to the required spending on transportation, accommodation and the safety of children.
The CFA will also establish a system to encourage integrity and put violators on a blacklist to regulate the behavior of players when they are still young, according to Lin.
Liu said China has 20,000 primary and middle schools with football programs in the curriculum as the country promotes the development of the sport. By 2020, the number should reach 50,000.
Efforts will be made to form four to six matches for football players under 12 from next year, said Lin.
