A two-year investigation into match-fixing and gambling has resulted in lifetime bans for 38 players and 5 club officials, marking China’s ongoing fight against corruption in one of its most popular sports, CNN reports.
The Chinese Football Association (CFA) announced the findings at a press conference on Tuesday, alongside the Ministry of Public Security and the General Administration of Sport.
The investigation revealed that 120 matches, involving 41 clubs, had been fixed. While the report did not specify if all matches were played in China, it included prominent figures like former Chinese internationals Jin Jingdao, Guo Tianyu, Gu Chao, and South Korean player Son Jun-ho among those banned for life.
Son Jun-ho, who was detained in China for 10 months, was released in March and returned to South Korea.
The crackdown extended beyond bans, with 44 people facing criminal penalties for bribery, gambling, and illegal casino operations. Another 17 were found guilty of bribery and match-fixing, receiving five-year bans.
CFA President Song Kai stated that 43 of the 44 people facing criminal charges were permanently barred from football-related activities.
The announcement comes ahead of Team China’s crucial World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia in Dalian later today. The team recently suffered a disheartening 7-0 defeat against Japan.
China has escalated its efforts to combat corruption within its football scene, with previous crackdowns resulting in severe punishments. In August, a former vice president of the national football association was sentenced to 11 years in prison for accepting bribes, and a former director of the competition department received a seven-year prison term for the same offense. In March, a former CFA chairman was given a life sentence.
