Li Tie, a former coach of the Chinese national football team and ex-Everton player in the English Premier League, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison on bribery charges.
His sentencing on Friday in Hubei province marks a significant development in China’s ongoing crackdown on corruption in sports.
Bribery Charges and Guilty Plea
![A tale of two countries – Chinese footballers' British struggles[6]- Chinadaily.com.cn](https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/sports/images/attachement/jpg/site1/20151020/a41f726b05591790020710.jpg "China sentence Premier League legend to 20 years in prison 1")
This period includes his two-year stint as the head coach of China’s national team. Earlier this year, Li confessed to paying nearly $421,000 in bribes to secure the role of national coach and to influence Chinese Super League matches.
His guilty plea followed a televised confession aired by CCTV in January.
While this practice has been condemned by rights groups for pre-judging suspects, it remains a notable feature of China’s legal system.
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Corruption’s Impact on Chinese Football
Corruption in Chinese football has been a persistent issue since the late 1990s.
Fans often attribute the poor performance of the national team to match-fixing and bribery scandals.
Li’s case has reignited debates about the depth of corruption in the sport and the effectiveness of the government’s cleanup efforts.
