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.”
Warren Gatland is set to leave his role as Wales head coach after a record-breaking 14 consecutive Test match defeats, bringing an early end to his second tenure in charge.
Although the 61-year-old was contracted until the 2027 Rugby World Cup, he was already expected to step down after the Six Nations. Now, his departure will come midway through the tournament, with Wales still set to face Ireland on 22 February in Cardiff, Scotland on 8 March, and England on 15 March.
Possible successors include former Australia coach Michael Cheika, Glasgow’s Franco Smith, and Ireland interim boss Simon Easterby.
Gatland, who enjoyed a highly successful 12-year first stint with Wales—winning three Grand Slams and leading the team to two World Cup semi-finals—returned in December 2022 to replace Wayne Pivac. However, his second tenure has been marred by poor performances, with Wales suffering their worst losing streak in 144 years of international rugby. The 22-15 loss to Italy last weekend cemented their decline, dropping them to 12th in the world rankings.
In total, Gatland has overseen 151 Tests across both spells, with 76 wins, 73 losses, and two draws. His recent record stands at just six victories in 26 matches, a win ratio of only 23%.
Tiger Woods has pulled out of this week’s Genesis Invitational, stating he is “still processing” the recent death of his mother, Kultida Woods.
The 15-time major champion, who had initially planned to participate, announced his withdrawal on social media, saying, “I planned to tee it up this week, but I’m just not ready. I did my best to prepare, knowing it’s what my mom would have wanted, but I’m still processing her loss.”
Woods’ mother, Kultida, passed away on February 4. Just days later, tournament organizers had confirmed Woods’ participation in the event, which is now being held at Torrey Pines instead of its usual Riviera Country Club venue due to wildfires in Los Angeles.
Woods has not played a PGA Tour event since The Open at Royal Troon last July. His competitive appearances have been sporadic since a 2021 car accident left him with severe leg injuries, and he underwent additional back surgery in September. Most recently, he played alongside his son, Charlie, in a 36-hole event in December and participated in an exhibition for the Tomorrow’s Golf League (TGL), which he co-founded.
As the tournament host, Woods hopes to attend the Genesis Invitational later in the week but has not committed to a specific timeline. The event benefits his TGR Foundation, which supports youth education initiatives.
Fans and fellow players have expressed their condolences and support for Woods as he navigates this difficult time.
Tottenham Hotspur defender Radu Dragusin has been ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in his right knee. The 23-year-old sustained the injury during Spurs’ Europa League clash against Elfsborg last week and will undergo surgery.
Dragusin is expected to be sidelined for at least six months, though recovery from ACL injuries can sometimes extend to a year. Tottenham confirmed that their medical team will monitor his rehabilitation to determine his return timeline.
The Romanian international had become a key figure for Spurs, starting 21 of their last 23 games. His absence adds to an already extensive injury list, which includes Destiny Udogie, Guglielmo Vicario, James Maddison, Brennan Johnson, Timo Werner, Wilson Odobert, Cristian Romero, and Dominic Solanke. However, Micky van de Ven and Ben Davies have recently returned to action.
Dragusin joined Tottenham from Genoa in January 2024 in a £25 million deal. To bolster their defensive options, Spurs signed Austria international Kevin Danso on loan for the remainder of the season, with an option to buy for £21 million. They also made an ambitious £70 million bid for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, which was rejected, but secured the signing of 19-year-old attacker Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich.
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