Former Premier League footballer and ex-China national team coach, Li Tie, has lost his appeal against a 20-year prison sentence for bribery.
On Wednesday, the Hubei Provincial Higher People’s Court announced that it had turned down Li’s appeal and confirmed the original jail term given by a lower court last December.
Li was found guilty of several bribery offences, including giving and receiving bribes during his time as a player and coach.
The 47-year-old played nearly 100 times for China and joined English club Everton in 2002. After retiring, he became China’s national team coach from January 2020 to December 2021.
His case is one of many as China continues a wide anti-corruption campaign in sports, led by President Xi Jinping. Since 2022, several football officials, coaches, and players have faced charges and convictions.
