Former Premier League star and former men’s national football coach Li Tie has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for bribery, marking a significant development in China’s ongoing crackdown on corruption in sports. Li, one of the country’s most prominent football figures, was convicted of multiple offences related to giving and receiving bribes.
The sentence comes amid President Xi Jinping’s ongoing anti-corruption campaign, which has targeted various sectors since he came to power over a decade ago. In 2022, authorities shifted focus to the sports industry, resulting in a series of convictions for former football administrators.
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Li, 47, had an illustrious playing career, earning nearly 100 international caps and playing for English Premier League side Everton as a midfielder. He served as China’s national football team coach from January 2020 to December 2021.
The conviction of Li is the latest in a string of high-profile cases, as authorities intensify efforts to root out corruption within China’s sports sector.
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