File photo of Xiao Tian. [Photo/Xinhua]

China's former deputy sports minister Xiao Tian has been expelled from the Communist Party of China for serious violation of Party discipline and law, the top anti-graft watchdog announced on its website on Thursday.

Approved by the CPC Central Committee, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection recently filed and investigated the case of Xiao, former deputy director of the General Administration of Sport of China (GASC), the country's top sports governing body.

Investigations found that Xiao seriously violated political discipline and the rules of the Party, organized groups within the Party and exchanged favors for personal interests.

During his tenure at GASC, Xiao violated personnel rules to arrange a job for his wife Tian Hua as an official in the cycling and fencing administration, where Xiao used to work and oversaw.

The investigation also found that Xiao made use of his position and power to help close relatives make profits in sectors he used to administrate. Xiao also changed schedules for overseas business trips to stay extra days abroad with his expenses charged to public funds, seriously violating self-discipline regulations.

He also accepted bribes, invitations for luxury services and VIP cards of golf clubs for seeking profits for others by taking advantage of his governmental post, which are suspected criminal offenses.

According to the CPC's regulations, the CPC Central Committee approved the expulsion of Zhao from the Party while dismissing him from administrative ranks.

Xiao's case has been transferred to judicial organs for further procedures.

Xiao was recruited by the former National Sports Commission, now the GASC, in 1981 from the Anhui provincial sports system, where he used to train as a fencing athlete.

He was appointed deputy head of the GASC in August 2005.

Xiao was also elected vice-president of the Federation of International Basketball Association, basketball's world governing body, in September.

Xiao, who was in charge of training and competitions for all national teams under the State-run sports system, is the highest-ranking sports official probed by CCDI since it sent an inspection group to scrutinize the operation of GASC and its affiliated sports administrative centers from July to September last year.