The latest wave of anti-corruption efforts in soccer has led to the apprehension of 128 suspects involved in infractions related to gambling, match-fixing, and bribery since 2022, in connection with 120 matches in China's domestic leagues, as announced by the country's public security department on Tuesday.

A press conference on campaign to address match-fixing, gambling and bribery in China's professional football leagues is held in Dalian, Liaoning province on Tuesday. [Photo/Xinhua]

The nationwide campaign, initiated in November 2022, has dismantled 12 online gambling gangs found to have manipulated match outcomes across all three tiers of men's domestic leagues, the Chinese FA Cup, and the top-tier women's league. Moreover, it has resulted in legal repercussions for 44 former players and club officials implicated in bribery, gambling, and operating illicit casinos, as revealed during a joint press conference hosted by the Ministry of Public Security, the General Administration of Sport of China, and the Chinese Football Association.

According to CFA president Song Kai, 43 former players and club officials involved in match-fixing and gambling have been banned for life against participation in any activities related to the sport in China.

Notable figures among the banned individuals include midfielder Jin Jingdao and center forward Guo Tianyu from former Chinese Super League champions Shandong Taishan, both of whom were part of the men's national team under the disgraced former coach Li Tie during the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

Deputy director Zhang Xiaopeng of the public security management bureau within the Ministry affirmed that the public security department will sustain its collaborative efforts with the central sports governing body and the CFA to uphold a rigorous crackdown on gambling, match-fixing, result manipulation, and bribery.

Zhang Xin, director of the competitive sports department at the GASC, condemned the acts of fraud, gambling, and bribery for undermining the integrity of fair play in sports, tarnishing business norms within the soccer industry, and betraying the public's trust, characterizing them as a "malignant tumor" impeding the development of soccer in the country.

The press conference took place in Dalian, Liaoning province on Tuesday morning, shortly before the commencement of the Chinese men's national team's second third-stage Asian qualifying match against Saudi Arabia for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, held in the same city.

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