Chinese Football Association president Chen Xuyuan has admitted that two per cent of the Chinese Super League (CSL) referee decisions this season were flawed.

The coronavirus-affected 2020 CSL campaign ended last Thursday when Jiangsu Suning beat defending champions Guangzhou Evergrande 2-1 in the title decider. Throughout the season, especially in its second phase, the referees have been under fire.

In a video released on Thursday, Chen conceded the referees' problems while defending them.

"According to a review made by a third party, 98 percent of the referees' decisions were accurate, and the remaining two percent were flawed. But I have to say, even that two percent is intolerable," Chen said.

The CSL administration introduced a new format this season, under which the teams played two-legged knockout games in the second phase. The referees found it hard to come to terms with this new format, according to Chen.

"Every match of the second phase was crucial, and every referee's mistake could mean life or death of the teams involved. Our referees lacked experience on that aspect and were intimidated by it," he said.

Chen said drastic measures will be taken to help Chinese referees improve their capabilities and snuff out any signs of corruption.

"We are aware of the Chinese referees' deficiency. We still remember the ugly side of Chinese football -- the referee scandal. The Chinese Football Association will not allow a repeat of that," he said.

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