Li Tie, a former Everton midfielder and standout player for China in the 2002 World Cup, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after being convicted of match-fixing and corruption.
Li, who made 34 appearances for Everton, was also the head coach of China from late 2019 until his resignation in 2021.
The investigation into Li’s conduct began in November 2022, following a probe by the Communist Party, with state broadcaster CCTV reporting his conviction on Friday. Li appeared in court in Hubei province in March 2024, where he admitted to his crimes.
According to the Xianning court, Li took and offered bribes amounting to $16.5 million between 2015 and 2021, during his time as assistant coach at Hebei China Fortune and later as China’s national team coach.
These bribes led to him selecting certain players for national duty and influencing club transfers and competition outcomes.
Additionally, Du Zhaocai, the former vice-chairman of the Chinese Football Association (CFA), was sentenced to 14 years in prison and fined $550,000 for his role in the bribery scandal.
China’s football landscape has long been marred by match-fixing, with fans blaming corruption for the national team’s underperformance.
President Xi Jinping had hopes of improving the country’s football scene, even envisioning China hosting and winning a future World Cup.
His anti-corruption campaign, however, has led to multiple high-profile sentences. Earlier this year, Chen Xuyuan, the former CFA president, was sentenced to life imprisonment for taking over $11 million in bribes.
Several other officials have been jailed, with sentences ranging from 30 months to 14 years. This crackdown has also resulted in a life ban for 38 players and five club officials following a two-year investigation into match-fixing and gambling.
The investigation revealed that 120 matches had been rigged, involving 41 football clubs across China.