Former Everton Star, Li Tie, has been given a 20-year prison sentence after being charged with match fixing offences.
Former Everton Star Handed 20 Year Prison Sentence
Between 2019 and 2021, the former Everton player was head coach for the Chinese national football team and in early 2024 he confessed to accepting/offering bribes and match fixing to secure the role.
In March of this year, the 47-year-old pleaded guilty to accepting over $16 million in bribes over a six-year period between 2015 and 2021.
During this time, Li was an assistant coach at the Hebei China Fortune Club and went on to coach China towards the end of the six-year spell.
The bribery would often have links to Li’s player selection for China and impact results of across various matches in the country.
Convicting the former Everton player is part of a stricter focus on corruption from China’s president, Xi Jinping, who is taking action against all breaches.
Li is not the only person who has been charged with these bribery offences, as three former Chinese Football Association officials have been handed jail sentences.
Between 2002-2006, the former China manager appeared in 34 Premier League matches for Everton and his confession tom the crime came in a anti-corruption documentary that was released earlier this year.
During his playing career, Li made 92 appearances for his national side and the former Toffee’s star commented on his recent charges.
Li said: “I’m very sorry. I should have kept my head to the ground and followed the right path. There were certain things that at the time were common practices in football.”
Li was present for China’s only appearance in a World Cup during 2002 and was in charge for 12 games as manager of the national team.
The former CFA President, Chen Xuyan, was handed a life sentence in early 2024 for accepting bribes of around $11m.