The first-instance trial of Li Tie's case began today! Five major issues have become the focus of public attention, and the verdict may be announced at a later date
On March 28, Beijing time, according to CCTV News, Li Tie, the former head coach of the Chinese national men's football team, is suspected of accepting bribes, offering bribes, offering bribes by units, accepting bribes from non-state workers, and offering bribes to non-state workers, and will be tried in open court in the Intermediate People's Court of Xianning City, Hubei Province, in accordance with the law.
Li Tie is 46 years old this year, played as a midfielder when he was a player, and once represented the national football team in the 2002 World Cup.
In 2019, Li Tie served as the coach of the national selection team, and on January 2, 2020, he officially became the head coach of the Chinese men's football team, and resigned in December 2021.
In November 2022, it was officially announced that Li Tie was under investigation on suspicion of serious violations. In August 2023, Li Tie's suspected bribery, bribery, bribery by units, bribery by non-state functionaries, and bribery of non-state functionaries were designated by the Hubei Provincial People's Procuratorate and reviewed and prosecuted by the Xianning Municipal People's Procuratorate. The Xianning Municipal People's Procuratorate filed a public prosecution with the Xianning Intermediate People's Court in accordance with law.
In January 2024, CCTV's anti-corruption feature film "Continue to Make Efforts to Promote in Depth" disclosed that when coaching Hebei Huaxia Happiness, Li Tie instructed assistant coach Zheng Bin to play match-fixing for defender Li Fei of the Shenzhen team, and Li Fei offered 6 million yuan and swallowed it himself.
When coaching Wuhan Zall, Li Tie once again instigated the club to play match-fixing. In August 2019, in order to become the coach of the national football team, Li Tie persuaded Wuhan Zall to pay a bribe of 2 million yuan to Chen Xuyuan, and gave 1 million yuan to Liu Yi, secretary general of the Football Association, out of his own pocket. After becoming the coach of the national football team, Li Tie signed the so-called "contract" with Zall with a total amount of 60 million yuan, and selected four Zall players into the national football team.
Today, Li Tie's case will be tried in the first instance at the Intermediate People's Court of Xianning City, Hubei Province. Several major issues have become the focus: First, how much bribes did he take? Second, how much did he bribe? Third, who exactly did he bribe? What does it have to do with Chen Xuyuan, Du Zhaocai, and others? Fourth, what Chinese Super League clubs are involved in his case? Fifth, what are the facts of foul play included in as many as five crimes?
Referring to the Chen Xuyuan case, it is possible that the verdict in Li Tie's case will be announced at a later date, usually within two months.