China jails former national football coach for 20 years for bribery

BEIJING -- The former coach of the Chinese men's national soccer team has received a 20-year-prison sentence for bribery, Chinese state media reported Friday.

Li Tie, who once played in the English Premier League as a midfielder for Everton, was found guilty of “leveraging his positions” as head coach of the national football and national selection team to receive bribes of more than 50 million yuan (about $7 million), by a court in the city of Xianning in the central Hubei province.

Li coached the Chinese men’s team between January 2020 and December 2021. He was also charged with taking bribes between 2015 to 2019, when he worked for local football clubs.

The investigation into Li’s conduct began in November 2022. He pleaded guilty to bribery and corruption in March of this year.

Li played in England for Everton from 2002 to 2006 and with Sheffield United from 2006-2008.

His sentencing is the latest in a series of high-profile corruption cases involving Chinese football.

In March, the former president of the Chinese Football Association (CFA), Chen Xuyuan, was sentenced to life in prison for bribery. Earlier this week, three other CFA officials received prison sentences for bribery, according to state media.

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EDs: note that this update corrects the former coach's name to Li Tie.

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