Li Tie, exentrenador del equipo de fútbol masculino de China, ha recibido una condena de 20 años de cárcel tras admitir múltiples cargos de soborno. Según medios estatales, Li confesó haber aceptado sobornos, realizar pagos para asegurar su puesto como entrenador y manipular partidos a lo largo de su carrera. Este caso representa otro ejemplo importante de corrupción revelado en la campaña continua de China contra el fraude, que se ha extendido a diversos sectores como el deporte, la banca y el ejército.
Li, quien fue jugador de la Premier League con el Everton, admitió su culpabilidad en marzo por aceptar más de 16 millones de dólares en sobornos. Se informa que estas actividades comenzaron en 2015, cuando Li era asistente técnico en el Hebei China Fortune Club, y se extendieron hasta su renuncia como entrenador principal del equipo nacional en 2021. A cambio de los pagos ilegales, Li supuestamente influía en la selección de jugadores y ayudaba a los clubes de fútbol a asegurar victorias.
Li, a former Premier League player for Everton, pleaded guilty in March to taking over $16 million in bribes. These activities reportedly began in 2015, when Li served as an assistant coach at the Hebei China Fortune Club, and continued until his resignation as head coach of the national team in 2021. In exchange for the illicit payments, Li allegedly influenced team selections and aided football clubs in securing victories.
The sentencing of Li brings attention to a system entrenched in corrupt practices, with numerous prominent individuals in Chinese football under investigation as well. Earlier this week, three ex-officials from the Chinese Football Association (CFA) were found guilty on related charges. Altogether, over twelve coaches and players have been investigated as part of the extensive anti-corruption measures.
Li’s sentencing highlights a system plagued by corrupt practices, with several high-profile figures within Chinese football also facing scrutiny. Earlier this week, three former officials from the Chinese Football Association (CFA) were convicted on similar charges. In total, more than a dozen coaches and players have been investigated as part of the sweeping anti-corruption efforts.
Li’s ex-boss, Chen Xuyuan, who was once the president of the CFA, received a life sentence earlier in 2024. Chen was found guilty of taking bribes amounting to $11 million. His case, along with Li’s, illustrates the extent of corruption among senior officials responsible for managing the progress of football in China.
The campaign against corruption in football parallels a similar initiative from 2010, which led to the imprisonment of numerous officials, players, and referees for match-fixing and bribery. Xi Jinping, who was the vice president at the time, also led that effort. Nevertheless, corruption has continued, and the current crackdown is seen by analysts as a reprise of earlier efforts, though this time involving significantly larger amounts of money.
The crackdown on football corruption echoes a similar campaign in 2010, during which several officials, players, and referees were imprisoned for match-fixing and bribery. Xi Jinping, then serving as vice president, spearheaded that effort as well. However, despite the crackdown, corruption has persisted, with the current campaign described by observers as a repeat of past efforts, albeit involving larger sums of money.
, provided an analysis of the hurdles confronting Chinese football. In a conversation with the BBC earlier this year, he commented, “This campaign closely mirrors the events of ten years ago, just involving different people and on a significantly larger financial scale.” Simons believes that inherent problems within the sport have enabled corruption to thrive despite prior attempts to tackle it.
La carrera futbolística de Li Tie comenzó de manera prometedora, ya que el excentrocampista jugó 92 partidos para China y participó en la única aparición del país en la Copa del Mundo en 2002. Su paso a la dirección técnica inicialmente aparentaba ser exitoso, llevando a su nombramiento como entrenador del equipo nacional en 2020. Sin embargo, su mandato terminó envuelto en controversia al renunciar en 2021 en medio de crecientes acusaciones de mala conducta.
Li Tie’s football career began on a high note, with the former midfielder making 92 appearances for China and playing in the country’s only World Cup appearance in 2002. His transition to coaching initially seemed promising, culminating in his appointment as head coach of the national team in 2020. However, his tenure ended in controversy when he stepped down in 2021 amid growing allegations of misconduct.
The corruption cases have cast a shadow over Xi Jinping’s vision of elevating Chinese football to international prominence. Xi had famously outlined his “three wishes” for the sport in 2011: for China to qualify for another World Cup, eventually host the tournament, and ultimately win the championship. Despite significant investments in football infrastructure and training programs, these ambitions have been undermined by the scandals and mismanagement that continue to plague the sport.
Las repercusiones de los escándalos de corrupción también se están sintiendo a nivel de base, donde los esfuerzos por promover el fútbol entre las generaciones más jóvenes han sido eclipsados por titulares negativos. Los intentos de China por cultivar una nueva generación de futbolistas talentosos han sido obstaculizados por la percepción de deshonestidad sistémica dentro del deporte. Para muchos jugadores aspirantes y sus familias, los escándalos sirven como un claro recordatorio de los obstáculos que enfrentan quienes esperan triunfar en el fútbol chino.
The repercussions of the corruption scandals are also being felt at the grassroots level, where efforts to promote football among younger generations have been overshadowed by negative headlines. China’s attempts to cultivate a new generation of talented footballers have been hampered by the perception of systemic dishonesty within the sport. For many aspiring players and their families, the scandals serve as a stark reminder of the obstacles facing those who hope to succeed in Chinese football.
The broader anti-corruption campaign, which extends far beyond football, has targeted high-profile figures across various industries. Xi Jinping’s government has framed these efforts as essential to maintaining public trust and ensuring the integrity of Chinese institutions. However, critics have questioned whether the campaigns are as much about consolidating political power as they are about addressing corruption.
As Li Tie begins his 20-year prison sentence, the focus shifts to whether the recent crackdown will lead to meaningful reform within Chinese football. Observers remain skeptical, noting that similar campaigns in the past have failed to produce lasting change. For now, the sentencing of Li and other officials symbolizes both the scale of the problem and the difficulty of eradicating corruption in a sport that has long been synonymous with national aspirations and systemic challenges.
