China Bans 43 Over Football Corruption: A Crackdown on Match-Fixing

China's Football Association has imposed lifetime bans on 43 individuals, including players and officials, due to match-fixing and corruption. The two-year investigation revealed widespread malpractice in domestic leagues, implicating 120 matches, 128 suspects, and 41 clubs. Fierce efforts continue, despite the country's struggle to elevate its football standing.

In a sweeping crackdown on corruption, China's Football Association has handed lifetime bans to 43 individuals for their involvement in match-fixing and other unethical activities. The revelations come from a two-year investigation, which exposed corruption across 120 domestic league matches, involving 128 suspects and 41 clubs.

Top police official Zhang Xiaopeng disclosed the findings at a news conference in Dalian, detailing cases of online gambling, match-fixing, and bribery. Among those banned are 38 players and five club officials, including former internationals such as Jin Jingdao, Guo Tianyu, and Gu Chao.

The scandal also saw several foreign players receiving five-year bans, highlighting the international scope of the issue. President Xi Jinping's ambitions to transform China into a football powerhouse face renewed challenges as the national team continues to struggle, recently suffering a heavy defeat to Japan in the World Cup qualifiers.

(With inputs from agencies.)