Sports
Former Chinese National Football Coach Jailed for Bribery in Major Anti-Corruption Push
Li Tie, the former coach of China’s national men’s football team and a former Premier League player for Everton, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for bribery. Chinese state media reports that Li admitted to accepting and offering bribes, as well as match-fixing, during his career.
Li’s sentencing marks a significant moment in President Xi Jinping’s ongoing anti-corruption campaign, which has targeted sectors including sports, banking, and the military. Earlier this week, three former Chinese Football Association (CFA) officials were also convicted of bribery, bringing the total to over a dozen coaches and players investigated.
From 2015 to 2021, Li reportedly accepted over $16 million in bribes, starting as an assistant coach for Hebei China Fortune Club and continuing through his tenure as national coach. In return, he favored certain players for the national team and helped clubs secure victories in competitions.
In a state-televised anti-corruption documentary aired earlier this year, Li publicly apologized for his actions, saying, “I should have kept my head to the ground and followed the right path. There were certain things that at the time were common practices in football.”
Li, who led China’s national team from January 2020 to December 2021, had been a celebrated figure in Chinese football, making 92 appearances for the national team and playing at the country’s only World Cup finals in 2002.
This scandal follows the earlier conviction of former CFA president Chen Xuyuan, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for accepting $11 million in bribes.
President Xi Jinping’s vision to make China a global football powerhouse, including aspirations to host and win a World Cup, has faced repeated setbacks. The detentions and convictions of football leaders, some of whom were responsible for driving reforms, mirror a similar anti-graft campaign in 2010 when several players, referees, and officials were jailed for corruption.
Author and grassroots football advocate Rowan Simons described the current crackdown as reminiscent of the 2010 efforts, remarking, “It looks exactly the same as it was 10 years ago with a different set of characters.”
Sports
Cyclist killed at Worlds not found for 82 minutes
An investigation into the death of Swiss cyclist Muriel Furrer has found she was not discovered for 82 minutes after crashing during the 2024 UCI Road World Championships in Zurich.
The 18-year-old died after leaving the road in wet conditions during the junior road race and crashing into a wooded area near her hometown. According to the Zurich Public Prosecutors’ Office, the accident occurred out of sight of race officials, spectators, and support vehicles.
Investigators said Furrer lay hidden in undergrowth and was not visible from the road, which contributed to the delay in locating her. Her disappearance was not immediately reported, and she was only found more than an hour later before being airlifted to hospital, where she died from a head injury.
Despite the circumstances, prosecutors concluded there was “no evidence of criminal conduct or negligence” by organisers. The race had been overseen by a local committee alongside the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).
At the time of the incident, neither GPS tracking nor race radios were permitted in the World Championships—unlike in events such as the Tour de France—a factor that may have delayed the response. Following the tragedy, the UCI introduced GPS tracking for the 2025 championships in Rwanda to monitor riders’ locations in real time.
Cyclists’ union representatives have argued that such safety measures should have been implemented earlier to prevent similar incidents.
The findings come shortly after another serious crash involving British rider Tom Pidcock at the Volta a Catalunya, where he fell into a ravine unnoticed by organisers but was able to communicate with his team via radio.
In tribute, the UCI retired Furrer’s race number—84—from women’s junior road races, honouring her memory as calls continue for improved safety protocols in the sport.
Sports
Ghana sack manager Addo Just 72 days before World Cup
Ghana Football Association has dismissed head coach Otto Addo with just 72 days remaining before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Addo’s departure follows a poor run of results, including a 2-1 defeat to Germany in Stuttgart and a heavy 5-1 loss against Austria in Vienna. The Ghana national football team have now lost their last four matches.
Despite boasting attacking talent such as Antoine Semenyo and Mohammed Kudus, Ghana also failed to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations under Addo’s leadership.
In a statement, the Ghana Football Association confirmed it had “parted ways” with Addo with immediate effect, adding that a new technical direction for the team would be announced soon.
Addo, 50, was born in Germany and spent his entire playing career there, earning 15 caps for Ghana. He had been in his second spell as head coach since March 2024.
The upcoming World Cup—set to be hosted across United States, Canada, and Mexico—will run from 11 June to 19 July.
Ghana’s campaign is scheduled to begin against Panama on 18 June, followed by group matches against England and Croatia.
Sports
Scott Brown Leaves Ayr United Role by Mutual Consent
Scott Brown has stepped down as manager of Ayr United by mutual consent, the Scottish Championship side has confirmed.
The 40-year-old departs Somerset Park alongside assistant Steven Whittaker following a difficult run of nine matches without a win.
Ayr’s form has seen them drop to sixth place in the Scottish Championship after a 3-0 defeat to Raith Rovers, a result that allowed their opponents to overtake them in the standings. The team now sits outside the promotion play-off positions, trailing Dunfermline Athletic by five points, with their rivals also holding a game in hand.
Brown, a former Celtic and Scotland national team midfielder, took charge of Ayr in January 2024. He initially guided the club away from relegation danger before achieving a third-place finish in his first full season. However, recent results have reversed that progress.
Before joining Ayr, Brown began his coaching career at Aberdeen as a player-coach and later managed Fleetwood Town. He was dismissed from Fleetwood in September 2023 after a poor run of results in his second season.
In the interim, training duties at Ayr United have been overseen by veteran winger Jamie Murphy, along with first-team coach Tommy Tait and goalkeeping coach Dave Timmins, as the club prepares to announce a temporary managerial arrangement.
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