BEIJING - Following are the top Chinese sports news items in 2017 selected by Xinhua News Agency (in time sequence):

1. Reforms deepened in various fields

The government-run Chinese Football Administrative Center was officially axed in January, one year after the Chinese Football association (CFA) was handed full power to run the game in the country. Basketball legend Yao Ming was unanimously elected president of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) in February, before the CBA replaced the basketball administrative center in April as the governing body of the sport in China. Several famous retired athletes and coaches including Li Yan and Zhou Jihong were also elected to top posts at relevant sports associations amid a string of reforms in the sport sector.