Authorities are investigating allegations that a weight lifting coach in northeast China's Liaoning province pocketed subsidies intended for athletes, the Beijing Youth Daily reported yesterday.

According to the newspaper, the claims appeared online on Friday in a letter written by Yao Jingyuan, a gold medalist during the 1984 Summer Olympics as well as the coach of Liaoning province's women's weight lifting team. Sun Caiyan, the winner in the women's 58-kilogram title during the 2003 world weight lifting championships, also signed Yao's letter.

Yao claimed that Jiang Xuehui, the head coach of Liaoning's provincial team, siphoned off nutrition subsidies intended for Sun, who retired from athletics in 2009 after winning bronze in China's 11th National Games.

Yao alleges that Jiang had asked Sun to sign several invoices and vouchers before the games. Sun did not see what was written on these documents, but was told she would be given nutrition subsides, according to the letter.

Later, when Sun failed to win gold, Jiang allegedly became furious, saying "you were given subsidies of hundreds of thousands of yuan, but didn't you win." In actuality, Yao claims, Sun never received any such subsidies.

Jiang had applied for nutrition subsides for seven athletes, including Sun, the letter explained.

Yao went on to allege that Jiang was not qualified to continue coaching since two of his athletes had tested positive for doping, which should result in a lifetime ban for Jiang.

In response to these accusations, Jiang said of Yao: "He is a psycho, you can't take his words seriously," according to the newspaper.

The Liaoning Sports Bureau said Liaoning Sports Technology Academy, which manages the provincial weight lifting team, has reportedly started an investigation into the accusations.

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