The Chinese Football Association (CFA) has inflicted lifetime bans on 43 people from football-related activities, for gambling and match-fixing.
The investigation, which was said to have lasted two years, was revealed by Zhang Xiaopeng, who is a senior official from China’s Ministry of Public Security, and covered 120 matches, 128 criminal suspects and 41 football clubs.
In total, 44 people face criminal penalties for bribery, gambling and the illegal opening of casinos, while 17 others will also face punishment for bribery and match-fixing. Out of the 44, 43 have been banned for life from football-related activities and the 17 have been handed five-year bans.
Within the list, there are a number of professional players and club officials who have been handed either lifetime or five-year bans, though former Hangzhou Greentown player Shen Liuxi did not receive a lifetime ban this time around, as he had already been given a lifetime ban in 2013.
Within a CFA notice it said: “According to the facts found by the judicial authorities, Son Jun-ho, a former player of Shandong Taishan FC, participated in illegal transactions, manipulated football matches, and obtained illegal gains to seek unlawful benefits. His actions seriously violated sports ethics and sportsmanship, causing significant negative social impact.”
This news comes after 21 people were arrested in Beijing in the summer for running illegal betting operations during Euro 2024, which were part of the Beijing Public Security Bureau’s efforts to curb illegal gambling activities during the tournament.
Recent months have also seen the A-League in Australia hit with a betting scandal, with three players charged over alleged betting corruption, with a further two players being accused.
