On January 6, Beijing time, CCTV1 CCTV comprehensive channel will broadcast a thought-provoking anti-corruption blockbuster, "Continue to Make Efforts and Promote in Depth". This column selects 12 typical anti-corruption cases, one of which attracts attention is the anti-corruption storm in the football world. According to the promotional video, three influential figures in the football world - Li Tie, Chen Xuyuan, and Du Zhaocai, will gather on the screen to face the past and reflect deeply.
These three football bigwigs unreservedly expressed their inner remorse in front of the camera, and felt deep remorse for their past behavior. They can't help but feel full of emotion, full of regret for their past choices, and can't help but ask themselves, "Why did you know today in the first place?" For the current predicament, they can only admit that they are "to blame".
The first wave of the sports anti-corruption campaign started with Li Tie, and after Li Tie was arrested, a series of sports figures fell one after another. What is particularly striking is the emergence of high-level figures and sports celebrities in the Football Association. It is reported that the highest-level person who is known to have been arrested is Du Zhaocai, deputy director of the General Administration of Sports. Mr. Du's arrest marks an important juncture in the fight against corruption.
As the former head coach of the Chinese national men's football team, Li Tie was investigated by the Chibi City Supervision Commission of Hubei Province and the Chibi City Public Security Bureau on suspicion of accepting bribes, offering bribes, offering bribes by units, accepting bribes from non-state functionaries, and offering bribes to non-state workers. The case was appointed by the Hubei Provincial People's Procuratorate and the Xianning City People's Procuratorate to jointly review and prosecute.
Li Tie
On May 18, 1977, Shenyang City, Liaoning Province ushered in the birth of a football legend, Li Tie. He has made a name for himself in Chinese professional football, having been a leading midfielder and has also served as the head coach of the Chinese men's football team.
His football career began in November 1993 when he joined the Jianlibao youth team and then went to Brazil to study for five years. During this time, he was selected for the Chinese national team and participated in the top 10 of the Asian qualifiers for the World Cup.
In 2001, he officially became a member of the national team, participating in the group stage and the top 10 matches of the Asian qualifiers for the World Cup, as well as the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan.
In the 2002-03 season, Li Tie spent the 2002-03 season on loan at Premier League side Everton with the support of sponsors, and then completed a permanent transfer, playing for four seasons, making 34 Premier League appearances and playing six cup games. Subsequently, he moved to Sheffield United for two seasons, returning to China in 2008 to join Chengdu Sheffield United, and returning to Liaoning Football in 2009.
In May 2012, he began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Guangzhou Evergrande. In November 2013, he assisted Lippi to lead Guangzhou Evergrande to the AFC Champions League. He also served as an assistant coach of the Chinese men's national football team in 2014 and assisted in the 2015 Asian Cup. However, in June 2015 he quit the Evergrande coaching staff.
Since then, he has made a number of achievements in football management. He served as Executive Deputy General Manager, Sports Director, Head of the Chinese Coaching Staff and Head Coach of Hebei Huaxia Happiness Football Club. However, he stepped down in August 2016 and went on to serve as the Chinese assistant coach of the Chinese men's national football team, before becoming the general manager and sporting director of Wuhan Zall FC in October 2017 and the club's head coach on 16 November.
On January 2, 2020, he took over as the head coach of the Chinese national men's football team.
On December 3, 2021, the Chinese Football Association announced that Li Tie had resigned as the head coach of the national men's football team, but in August 2023, Li Tie was involved in a bribery case. The Hubei Provincial People's Procuratorate designated the Xianning Municipal People's Procuratorate to review and prosecute him, which also cast an anti-corruption shadow over the former superstar of football.
Li Tie's football experience and coaching career are legendary, but the news that he is embroiled in a corruption scandal has attracted widespread public attention and cast a shadow over his once illustrious career.