Former Chinese Football Association vice head pleads guilty for bribery

Li Yuyi, former vice-president of the Chinese Football Association, pleaded guilty to bribery at the Jingzhou Intermediate People's Court in Hubei province on Friday.

Prosecutors said that from 2004 to 2021, Li took advantage of his positions including head of Shanghai's Jinshan district and vice-president of the CFA, to seek benefits for departments and individuals in matters such as saving soccer clubs from relegation and project contracting. In return, he accepted bribes worth more than 12 million yuan ($1.6 million).

In addition to the indictment and relevant evidence provided by the prosecutors, Li and his lawyer also shared their opinions during the trial, and Li confessed to the offense.

The sentencing will be announced at a later date.

More than 40 people, including national lawmakers and political advisers, attended the case hearing.

On Friday, another case was also publicly heard by the court in Chongyang county, Hubei, in which Ma Chengquan, former chairman of the Chinese Super League Company, was accused of accepting bribes.