Former Everton player Li Tie has reportedly been sentenced to life in prison in his native China for corruption.
During the 2002–03 season, Li played 33 games for Everton while on loan from Chinese club Liaoning. After obtaining a permanent contract, he played seven games the following season.
The defensive midfielder broke his leg while playing for his country in February 2004 and had an injury scare during his time at Sheffield United.
Li, 46, managed China’s national team from 2019 to 2021 after concluding his career there.
Amidst a massive crackdown on corruption in football, the Chinese public prosecutor made a shocking revelation a year after Li resigned from that position, stating that he was’suspected of collecting and offering bribes’.
Li made a televised confession on state broadcaster CCTV, admitting that he accepted bribes totaling 3 million yuan (£330,000) in exchange for his position as national team coach.
In addition, he said that he had participated in a match-fixing scam in order to advance with his club teams.
Li apologised profusely. I ought to have maintained my eyes on the ground and made the proper decisions. There were some things that were standard football procedure at the time.
According to writer and reporter Mark Dreyer, who is located in China, Li received a life sentence for his involvement in the affair.
According to Dreyer, Chen Xuyuan, the former head of the Chinese Football Association, received a 15-year term for bribery.
Li acknowledged having successfully rigged games while serving as Wuhan Zall and Hebei China Fortune’s coach. The latter were promoted as champions from China League One in 2018.
“By gaining’success’ through such improper means, it actually made me more and more impatient and eager for quick results,” he continued in his broadcast remarks.
“I resorted to influencing referees, bribing opposing players and coaches, sometimes through clubs dealing with other clubs, in order to achieve good performance.”
“This behaviour turns into a habit, and after a while there’s even a little dependence on these behaviours.”
Li joined Everton in August 2002 and was considered one of the best Chinese footballers of his time.
The loan arrangement for him and his countryman Li Weifeng was arranged by the now-defunct Chinese telecoms firm Keijan, which at the time was Everton’s sponsor.
Later, Li was appointed coach of the Chinese national team; however, he acknowledged having paid £330,000 in bribes to get the position.
As Everton finished in seventh position in the Premier League, manager David Moyes used Li, an unexpected star at Goodison Park, frequently.
That convinced Everton to sign him permanently in August 2003 for a fee of £1.2 million, with sponsorships covering two thirds of the contract.
Following his dismissal from the first game of the season against Arsenal, Li injured his leg while representing China in February 2004 and was never able to return to the starting lineup.
He was released by Everton in 2006 and joined Sheffield United, but he played only once for the Blades because of lingering injury issues.
Li, who made 92 appearances for China between 1995 and 2007, joined Chengdu Blades, who in 2008 became a part of Sheffield United, before going back to his home club Liaoning.
Following his club coaching career, he was appointed permanent coach of the China national team in 2019 following Marcello Lippi’s resignation.
First stated in November 2022, Li was under investigation by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) and the National Supervisory Commission, an anti-corruption agency, for’serious violation of laws’.
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