China ban 43 footballers, jail ex-coach Li Tie for 20 years in match-fixing scandal

Updated: 20 May, 2025 • 0 • min read

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China ban 43 footballers, jail ex-coach Li Tie for 20 years in match-fixing scandal

Photo: Xinhua

China have banned nearly 50 footballers and handed out lengthy prison sentences - including a 20-year jail term for former national team coach Li Tie - as part of a wide-reaching crackdown on match-fixing and bribery.

The latest actions mark one of the most severe anti-corruption campaigns in global football history and reflect Beijing's intensifying efforts to restore credibility in a sport long plagued by scandal.

Ex-Everton Star Li Tie Jailed for 20 Years

Once hailed as a national icon and Premier League pioneer at Everton, Li's fall from grace has stunned the footballing world.

The former midfielder, who later coached the China national team, was found guilty of bribery and match-fixing during his coaching career.

In a televised confession aired in January 2025, Li admitted to approximately 3 million yuan ($418,000) to secure his role as national coach and participating in fixing matches.

His sentence was upheld by the Hubei Higher People's Court on 30 April.

READ MORE: Ex-Everton midfielder facing jail for match fixing and paying bribes

43 Football Figures Banned for Life

In September 2024, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) issued lifetime bans to 43 individuals, including high-profile players and officials.

Among those named were:

Jin Jingdao, Guo Tianyu, and Gu Chao - former Chinese internationals
Son Jun-ho - South Korean player arrested in May 2023, later repatriated
Ewolo Donovan - Cameroonian striker, now with Khaitan SC in Kuwait, banned for five years

These sanctions followed an exhaustive investigation covering 120 matches, 128 suspects, and 41 clubs.

According to CFA President Song Kai, the bans were "non-negotiable" and crucial to regaining the public's trust.

Referees and Officials Also Sentenced

The rot has not stopped at the pitch as referees and top officials have also been caught in the dragnet.

Tan Hai, former head of the CFA's referee department, was jailed for six-and-a-half years for taking bribes.

Zhang Jianqiang, ex-head of the CFA Referees Committee, received a 12-year sentence.

Former CFA vice-presidents Yang Yimin and Nan Yong were each jailed for over 10 years for direct involvement in fixing results.

In response, the CFA has announced the creation of China's first national referee academy to train a new generation to international standards and "ebuild confidence" in the sport's integrity.

Context: A Wider Political Purge

This crackdown forms part of President Xi Jinping's broader anti-corruption campaign, which since 2012 has targeted thousands of Communist Party officials, civil servants, and now sporting figures.

Football - once earmarked by Xi as a national priority - has instead become a symbol of excess, mismanagement, and decay.

Disillusioned fans have increasingly turned their attention to the Premier League and European football, with domestic leagues struggling to maintain credibility.

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