China has handed lifetime bans from all football-related activities to 43 individuals for their involvement in gambling and match-fixing, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) announced on Tuesday.
Those handed life bans include the South Korean international Son Jun-ho, as well as former Chinese internationals Jin Jingdao, Guo Tianyu, and Gu Chao. Ewolo Donovan, a former youth international for Cameroon, has been given a five-year ban.
The massive decision comes after a crackdown was launched on gambling and match-fixing activities in football, and the investigation involved 41 football clubs spreading over 120 matches, as well as 128 criminal suspects.
Why has China banned 43 people for life from football?
The ban comes as a result of a detailed investigation conducted by the CFA into the launching and running of illegal casinos, as well as gambling and bribery in connection to football matches. 44 people have been arrested for the charges of gambling and bribery.
17 other people have been charged with match-fixing and taking bribes for that cause, China’s Ministry of Public Security official Zhang Xiaopeng said in a press conference on Tuesday.
“The Ministry of Public Security reported the details of the first batch of 61 people involved in the cases to the General Administration of Sport of China and the CFA,” Zhang said in the press conference (as per Chinese news agency Xinhua).
“The CFA has reported his case once again, and we urge the entire football industry to strictly enforce the ban,” he added.
Out of the 44 people facing criminal proceedings, 43 have been handed life bans, while 17 others have received bans of five years.
One of the biggest casualties among those banned has been Son Jun-ho, who played for the Chinese club Shandong Taishan till 2023. The 32-year-old defensive midfielder has been capped 20 times by the South Korean team, but he will face an uncertain future now following the CFA’s ruling.
“According to the facts found by the judicial authorities, Son Jun-ho, a former player of Shandong Taishan FC, participated in illegal transactions, manipulated football matches, and obtained illegal gains to seek unlawful benefits. His actions seriously violated sports ethics and sportsmanship, causing significant negative social impact,” the CFA said in a press release.
