A former Premier League star has been sentenced to 20 years in prison in China over serious violations crimes.
Lie Tie received the heavy punishment on Friday for crimes related to bribery and corruption. The former Everton star admitted to match-fixing, accepting and offering bribes to get coaching job.
His sentencing is the latest in Chinese President Xi Jinping’s efforts to crack down on corruption in all sectors of the country.
Tie’s sentencing comes a few days after former members of the Chinese Football Association were handed jail sentences for similar offences, as the BBC reported.
Who is Li Tie?
Tie’s major highlight of his playing career were the five years he spent in England – first at Everton then at Sheffield United. He played with Wayne Rooney at Goodison Park.
He is regarded as one of the most accomplished football players in his country. In 2019, he was appointed coach of the men’s national team and served for two years.
The investigation started in 2022 after the national team suffered a disappointing elimination from the preliminary stages of World Cup qualification. The government initiated investigations into match-fixing and corruption allegations involving the team.
Tie was accused of accepting more than $6.8 million in bribes in the two years he served as the national team coach and of using more than $412,800 to land the job.
Why Man City fans were denied quick exit
In a separate report, Legit explained why Manchester City fans were prevented from leaving the stadium early during their defeat to Juventus in the Champions League.
Pep Guardiola’s team suffered another defeat, adding to their wretched run that began in October.
The travelling fans were denied a fast exit from the Allianz Stadium.