The fiery Qatar World Cup is underway and the eyes of the world are focused on it. However, a heavy news instantly pulls the attention of Chinese fans back to the country, focusing directly on the former national team skipper Li Tie.
According to the Hubei Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision Committee disclosed on November 26, Li Tie is suspected of serious violations of the law and is currently under strict investigation by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the Discipline Inspection and Supervision Group of the General Administration of the State Supervision Commission and the Hubei Provincial Supervision Committee.
It is not the first time that FA officials have been investigated, and it has been ten years since the last major anti-corruption drive in soccer. During this decade, the salaries of local players have continued to climb, despite the limited improvement in the strength of Chinese soccer.
Li Tie's investigation this time is undoubtedly another major scandal in Chinese soccer. As a matter of fact, in the past two years, incidents of violation of laws and discipline in Chinese soccer have occurred from time to time.
From coaching the national team to dismissal, Li Tie's career has been accompanied by controversy. The trigger for his dismissal was not business ability, but the interference of external factors.
The involvement of the Hubei Provincial Supervisory Commission may be related to Li Tie's status as the former general manager and head coach of Wuhan Zall Football Club. He had led Wuhan Zall to a breakthrough and his annual salary, once as high as 12 million yuan, rose to 30 million yuan.
According to an investigative report on the lawsuit, Li Tie and Wuhan Zall were involved in ongoing disputes over salary collection and arrears.2022 In October 2022, the People's Court of Huangpi District, Wuhan City, rendered a judgment on a contractual dispute, requiring Wuhan Zall to pay remuneration.
According to the Supervision Law, the supervisory organs have the authority to investigate public officials and non-public officials suspected of violating the law and committing crimes. Li Tie, as head coach of the national team, is a national public official, and the supervisory organs are authorized to investigate him.
Li Tie is not a member of the Communist Party of China, but a member of the Democratic Party, so the Disciplinary Inspection Committee did not need to initiate a case against him. The investigation involved only a "supervisory investigation", not a "disciplinary review".
From the iron waist to the national team coach, and then to the investigation of alleged violations, Li Tie's career is full of twists and turns. We look forward to the relevant departments to conduct a comprehensive and impartial investigation of this incident, so that there is no place to hide illegal and disciplinary behavior, but also a clear environment for Chinese soccer.
