Ex-Premier League Star Li Tie Loses Appeal Against 20-Year Prison Sentence
- Chinese football legend Li Tie has lost his appeal against a 20-year prison sentence for corruption-related offences
- He allegedly accepted bribes amounting to $6 million during his tenure as head coach of the national team
- President Xi Jinping has identified corruption as the biggest threat to China's development, reinforcing the government's continued crackdown on misconduct across all sectors
Former Everton midfielder and Chinese national team coach Li Tie had his 20-year prison sentence upheld by a court on Wednesday, April 30.
Li was initially sentenced in December 2024 by a lower court on five charges, including accepting bribes and involvement in match-fixing.
The Hubei Provincial Higher People's Court affirmed the original verdict, citing substantial evidence presented by the prosecution.
Source: Getty Images
Genesis of Li Tie Corruption Case
China’s anti-graft agencies, operating under President Xi Jinping’s sweeping anti-corruption campaign, turned their focus to the sports sector in 2022 following a wave of complaints.
Since then, several football administrators, coaches, and players have been investigated and convicted.
According to Chinese outlet Dimsum Daily, Li Tie’s downfall began when authorities launched a probe into serious legal violations tied to his coaching career.
The former Premier League star allegedly accepted and offered bribes during his time as assistant coach at Hebei China Fortune and later as head coach of the Chinese national team, with transactions totalling approximately $16.5 million.
In a March court appearance, Li pleaded guilty to receiving $15.1 million in bribes between 2015 and 2021 and admitted to match-fixing, per scmp.
While managing Wuhan Zall, he reportedly accepted over $35 million in additional bribes from Hebei FC related to player transfers and match manipulation, before the club’s dissolution in 2023.
Li also admitted to offering a $400,000 bribe in 2019 to secure the head coach position with the national team.
Source: Getty Images
Li Tie became head coach in 2020
Former Guangzhou Evergrande and Everton midfielder Li Tie was appointed head coach of the Chinese men's national football team in 2020.
According to BBC, Li succeeded World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi, marking a significant transition in Chinese football leadership.
The 46-year-old represented China at the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan before joining Premier League side Everton the same year.
He went on to make 40 appearances under then-manager David Moyes before moving to Sheffield United in 2006.
Li retired from professional football in 2011 and soon transitioned into coaching, building his career with various roles at the club and national levels.
NFF warns referees
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) warned referees of 10-year bans and possible arrest over match manipulation.
The directive covers all tiers of football in Nigeria, including the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Nigeria National League (NNL), Nigeria Women’s Football League (NWFL), and the Nationwide League One (NLO).
With league titles, promotions, and relegation battles heating up, the NFF fears some match officials may be tempted or pressured to favour certain teams.
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Source: Legit.ng
