Full article

Former CFA Vice President Li Yuyi Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison

Chinese football is once again rocked by a corruption scandal. Li Yuyi, former vice president of the Chinese Football Association (CFA), has been sentenced to eleven years in prison for accepting bribes during his tenure. A court in Jingzhou, a city located in central China, found him guilty of receiving approximately one million yuan (about 139,780 dollars or 126,700 euros) in bribes, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

The case of Li Yuyi is not an isolated incident in the world of Chinese football. In recent years, the most popular sport on the planet has been a fertile ground for corruption in China, with several senior officials implicated in similar crimes. Among the most prominent names are Liu Jun, former president of the Chinese Football Super League, and Li Tie, former national coach and one of the most iconic figures in football in the country. Both have been investigated and face serious accusations of corrupt practices.

The most shocking case to date is that of Chen Xuyuan, former president of the CFA between 2019 and 2023. Chen was sentenced to life in prison last March after being found guilty of accepting bribes of more than 81 million yuan (11.2 million dollars or 10.3 million euros) during his 13-year career. Such sentences, which have reached the maximum penalty in some cases, underline the scale of the problem and the determination of the Chinese authorities to eradicate corruption in sport.

Since Xi Jinping assumed the position of general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and president of the country in 2012, he has launched an anti-corruption campaign that has reached numerous sectors, including football. This offensive against corruption has led to the arrest and conviction of senior officials who, in some cases, had been operating with impunity for decades.

Football, as an integral part of national culture and pride, has not been immune to this crusade. Xi Jinping's campaign has sought not only to punish the guilty, but also to clean up the image of the sport in China, a country that aspires to become a world football power.

In response to the growing cases of corruption, the CFA has promised to increase transparency and openness in its operations. This promise, made last October, seeks to restore confidence in the institution and in Chinese football in general, which has been severely damaged by these scandals.

However, the task will not be easy. Corruption in Chinese football has taken deep roots, and recent cases indicate that much remains to be done to completely clean up the sport in the country. Li Yuyi's conviction is a step in the right direction, but it is also a reminder that the problem remains a considerable challenge for the Chinese authorities.

While the anti-corruption campaign advances, Chinese football faces an uncertain future. The recent convictions could have a deterrent effect on other officials and sports leaders, but could also have a negative impact on the development of the sport in the country. Loss of public trust, potential sponsor withdrawals and institutional instability are some of the risks that Chinese football could face in the coming years.

Against this backdrop, CFA leadership will need to be decisive and transparent to ensure that promised reforms do not remain just words. The need for real, lasting change is more urgent than ever, and only time will tell whether the CFA and Chinese football can overcome this crisis and emerge stronger.

Conclusion

Li Yuyi’s conviction marks another chapter in the history of corruption in Chinese football, but it could also be the catalyst needed for a profound change in the governance of the sport in the country.