BEIJING — The Chinese Football Association removed its top official following intense criticism of the performance by its men's team at last month's Beijing Olympics.

Xie Yalong is being assigned to attend a course at a government management academy, the CFA said in a brief notice on its Web site dated Wednesday. Xie's duties have been assumed by the association's Communist Party branch chairman Nan Yong, the notice said.

Chinese newspapers portrayed the switch to Nan as a face-saving way of removing Xie from his duties in response to a public panning of the association's management, blamed for a string of sub-par performances by the men's team.

China failed to qualify for the World Cup finals in Germany in 2006 and bounced out in the Olympic tournament in the preliminary round with two losses and a draw.

Fans at China's games chanted "Xie Yalong must go" and local media have speculated for weeks about his future. The CFA said the final decision to shift Xie out of his post was made by the government's Sports General Administration.

The Chinese women's side fared marginally better at the Beijing games, advancing to the quarterfinals before losing to Japan.