After admitting to paying more than £300,000 in bribes to obtain a position on the national team, a former Everton player was “sentenced to LIFE in prison” for corruption and match-fixing.

Former Everton player Li Tie has reportedly been sentenced to life in prison in China for corruption-related charges. Li Tie, who played 33 matches for Everton during the 2002-03 season

while on loan from Chinese club Liaoning, faced legal troubles

following his retirement from football.

Li, 46, had a brief stint with Sheffield United but suffered injury setbacks,

including a broken leg sustained during international duty in 2004.

After retiring from playing, he transitioned into coaching and served as the

manager of the Chinese national team from 2019 to 2021.

However, a year after leaving his coaching role, Li Tie came under scrutiny

from Chinese authorities for his involvement in bribery and match-fixing scandals within football.

He confessed to offering bribes to secure coaching positions, including

paying 3 million yuan (approximately £330,000) to become the coach of the national team.

Additionally, Li admitted to participating in match-fixing schemes

to achieve promotions with his club teams.

Li’s confession was televised on state broadcaster CCTV, where he expressed

remorse for his actions, acknowledging that his pursuit of success led him down a path of corruption.

He confessed to influencing referees, bribing opposing players and coaches,

and engaging in practices that became habitual.

Mark Dreyer, a China-based reporter and author, confirmed that Li Tie has been sentenced

to life imprisonment for his involvement in the scandal, while Chen Xuyuan, the former head of the

Chinese Football Association, received a 15-year sentence for bribery.

Li Tie’s career at Everton was initially seen as a success, with manager

David Moyes regularly fielding him in the Premier League, contributing to the team’s seventh-place finish.

However, his time at Everton was marred by injury, including a broken leg, which hindered his progress.

He was released by Everton in 2006 and subsequently had a brief stint with

Sheffield United before retiring from playing.

Following his retirement, Li Tie pursued coaching roles at club and national team levels.

However, his involvement in corruption scandals has overshadowed his football

career, leading to his sentencing to life in prison for his role in bribery and match-fixing.