In the jungle of Chinese soccer, anti-corruption and anti-darkness forces are like dark currents. Shi Xueqing, a former soccer victim who fought alongside Li Pingkang, is one of the few warriors who dare to face this dark force head-on. Most of the media, on the other hand, focus on the shadows of gambling and the mafia, who always seem to make a lot of money in the World Cup commentary box. As for the rise and fall of Chinese soccer, it seems to be a secondary issue, and money seems to be the only pursuit.
In the eyes of many soccer players, money may be the ultimate goal of their career. However, why is Shi Xueqing raising his voice to call for a storm of anti-corruption and anti-black power? It all started with a painful experience he had as Dalian's general manager in 2015. That year, Dalian lost the competition with Huaxia Happiness, and the culprit behind it all seemed to be match-fixing.
According to revelations by Ran Xiongfei, a former reporter for Sports Weekly, the Dalian Football Association (DFA) had sent out a whistleblower letter at the end of 2015, pointing out that Huaxia Happiness was suspected of buying opponents for match-fixing in the last five rounds of matches, and that then-coach Li Tie was suspected of being involved in the process. That report will probably be responded to by the CFA. In the end, Huaxia Happiness finished second, while Dalian sadly missed out.
Now, the events behind Li Tie's arrest have exposed him as a match-fixer on the pitch, in addition to his financial crimes. He can't seem to get away with that accusation, as Zhang Lu's fall from grace seems to point to the 2019 Chinese Super League campaign as well. Li Tie, on the other hand, is also suspected of allegedly playing fake football while coaching Huaxia Happiness in 2015.
China's soccer team's breakthrough, anti-corruption and anti-blackmail should not be delayed.
The World Cup has been lit and three Asian teams - Japan, Australia and South Korea - have managed to qualify. Although Australia missed out on a top eight finish when they lost to Argentina in the knockout rounds, the performance of Chinese soccer has been a cause for concern. The Asian rivals were so valiant while Chinese soccer struggled in the doldrums.
We desperately need an anti-corruption campaign to eliminate the malpractices that are hidden in the swaddling clothes. Current Chinese soccer is like a newborn baby, full of filth, chaos and poverty. It has developed a system from agents to player trading, from club management to head coaches, from players to youth training.
If these problems are not solved, how will Chinese soccer perform in the World Cup? Of course, some may say that even if these problems are solved, Chinese soccer may not rise. But what I want to say is this: we can at least give an account to the children, and an account to those youth trainers. A healthy soccer environment is like a fertile soil where there can be no toxins, and only then can we welcome the force that holds back the dark storm!
