Ex-Premier League star Li Tie loses appeal, 20-Year bribery sentence upheld

Former Premier League midfielder and ex-China coach Li Tie has failed in his appeal against a 20-year prison sentence for bribery, a Chinese court announced on Wednesday.

A lower court had initially jailed Li in December, making him a high-profile figure caught in a widespread government crackdown on corruption within the sport.

Excerpt: “Former Premier League midfielder Li Tie has lost his appeal against a 20-year prison sentence for bribery, a Chinese court said on Wednesday.”

The Hubei Provincial Higher People’s Court stated on Wednesday that it had rejected Li’s appeal and affirmed his original two-decade jail term. He was convicted of multiple offenses related to both offering and accepting bribes.

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The 47-year-old, who earned nearly 100 caps for his national team and played for Everton starting in 2002, served as China’s national team coach from January 2020 to December 2021 after retiring from his playing career.

This case is part of President Xi Jinping’s ongoing and extensive campaign against deep-rooted corruption, which has been in effect since he assumed power over a decade ago.

In 2022, anti-graft authorities turned their attention to the sports industry, leading to a series of convictions for football administrators, players, and coaches.