Li Tie sentenced to 20 years in prison for bribery

Li Tie, former head coach of the Chinese national men's soccer team, was sentenced to 20 years in prison by a court in Hubei province on Friday for bribery-related crimes.

The Xianning Intermediate People's Court in Hubei announced Li's convictions and sentence in a statement through its WeChat account.

Li, 47, a native of Shenyang, Liaoning province, was a former professional soccer player who transitioned to coaching after retiring in 2012.

He has received widespread attention from the public since late 2022 when he was placed under investigation for suspected serious violations of the law.

In March this year, he pleaded guilty to the bribery offenses at the Xianning court.

Evidence provided by prosecutors not only showed how Li offered bribes to those who helped him become head of the national men's soccer team and head of the selection panel but also proved how he accepted bribes after using the positions to benefit others, as well as engaging in bribe-taking and bribe-giving by using football clubs to cooperate in match-fixing.

China has strengthened the fight against corruption in the soccer field over the past few years, with several former officials facing prison terms and fines.

For instance, Liu Yi, former secretary-general of the Chinese Football Association, was sentenced to 11 years in prison after he was convicted of bribery. In addition to his sentence, he was also fined 3.6 million yuan ($495,000).