Ex-China Soccer Star Li Tie Sentenced to 20 Years for Corruption
The former Everton player and national team coach was convicted of taking and giving bribes as part of a sweeping anti-corruption campaign in Chinese football.
- Li Tie, 47, was found guilty of accepting over 110 million yuan in bribes between 2015 and 2021, including payments to secure his role as head coach of China's national team.
- Prosecutors revealed that Li fixed matches and manipulated player selections in exchange for bribes during his tenure as coach and club manager.
- Li's sentencing is part of President Xi Jinping's broader crackdown on corruption, which has targeted over a dozen Chinese football officials and players since 2022.
- The former Chinese Football Association chief, Chen Xuyuan, received a life sentence earlier this year, highlighting the extensive corruption in the sport.
- Li, once a celebrated player who represented China in its only FIFA World Cup appearance in 2002, expressed regret for his actions in a televised confession aired before his trial.
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