On December 13, 2024, the Intermediate People's Court of Xianning City, Hubei Province publicly announced the verdict in the case of Li Tie, the former head coach of the Chinese National Men's Football Team. Li Tie was sentenced to twenty years in prison for bribery, bribery, unit bribery, bribery by non-state staff, and bribery of non-state staff.
Case review
Li Tie, born in Shenyang, Liaoning Province in 1977, is a Chinese professional football player and the former head coach of the Chinese National Men's Football Team.
On November 26, 2022, Li Tie, the former head coach of the Chinese National Men’s Football Team, was suspected of serious violations of the law and was investigated by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission’s Discipline Inspection and Supervision Team of the State Sports General Administration and the Hubei Provincial Supervisory Committee.
On August 2, 2023, the People's Procuratorate of Xianning City, Hubei Province filed a public prosecution with the Xianning Intermediate People's Court on Li Tie, the former head coach of the Chinese National Men's Football Team, on suspicion of bribery, bribery, bribery by his employer, bribery by non-state staff, and bribery of non-state staff.
On August 3, 2023, the Hubei Provincial Higher People's Court designated the Xianning Intermediate People's Court to try this case in accordance with the first-instance criminal trial procedures.
On March 28, 2024, the Intermediate People's Court of Xianning City, Hubei Province held a public hearing of the first instance on this case. The procuratorial organ proposed that Li Tie be held criminally responsible for the crimes of bribery, bribery, unit bribery, bribery of non-state staff, and bribery of non-state staff. Li Tie expressed his guilt and repentance in court. The court announced an optional sentencing date.
The Xianning Municipal People’s Procuratorate charged:
From 2019 to 2021, the defendant Li Tie took advantage of his position as the head coach of the Chinese National Men’s Football Selection Team (hereinafter referred to as the Men’s National Football Team) and the Chinese National Men’s Football Team (hereinafter referred to as the Men’s National Football Team) or the convenience of his authority and status to provide assistance to relevant units and individuals in matters such as players being selected for the national team, winning games, and signing with clubs, and illegally accepted a total of more than 50.89 million yuan in RMB from others.
In 2019, in order to be elected as the head coach of the men's national football team, Li Tie asked others to provide help, and then gave others 1 million yuan in 2020.
In 2019, during his tenure at Wuhan Zall Professional Football Club Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Zall Club), in order to seek benefits such as being elected as the head coach of the men's national football selection team and increasing the influence of Zall Club, he agreed with the person in charge of the club to ask others to provide help, and the club gave others RMB 2 million.
From 2017 to 2019, Li Tie took advantage of his position as the general manager and head coach of Zall Club to provide assistance to Hebei China Fortune Football Club Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Huaxia Club) on player transfers, winning games and other matters, and received a total of RMB 26.75 million from Huaxia Club.
From 2015 to 2019, when Li Tie served at the Huaxia Club and Zall Club, in order to win the game or obtain favorable results, he agreed with the club leaders to ask other football clubs to cooperate or passively compete in the game. The Huaxia Club and Zall Club paid relevant personnel a total of more than 39.05 million yuan.
△On March 28, 2024, the defendant Li Tie, the former head coach of the Chinese National Men’s Football Team, was present at the first instance of the Intermediate People’s Court of Xianning City, Hubei Province.