Corruption in Chinese

Football
Who will be the life-saving straw of
China?

By Lo Tsz Long, Ronald

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Introduction
Football is an amazing sport which attract many peoples eyeballs. However,
money ruined the game. In recent weeks, Joseph "Sepp" Blatter, the president of
FIFA, was suspended from his position because of his scandals of corruption1.
This news aroused my attention to betting-related corruption (BRC), and a
country where is notorious for this charge, China. Paradoxically, China has
abundant human resources and strong economic power. It is not overstated that
betting pulled Chinese football down to a cliff without bottom.
What? Why? Betting-related Corruption (BRC)
[Please refer to appendix I] The motive of corruptors is simple making money.
It is a great threat to football that disturbing fairness in games and destroying the
core value of sports sportsmanship. Victims are indeed the bettors and even also
our society in larger extend. They lose money in betting, and also lose the
confidence to the fairness of football, which ultimately form a vicious cycle in BRC.
Many surveys stated the fear of BRC and creditability of football are adversely
affected2. Also, what we should pay attention is that the BRC is changing to be an
international organized crime. Just a few of fixers can control numerous matches
through Internet and live broadcast, which result a situation of increasing
difficulties for law enforcement agencies to investigate the online time of fixers.
Focusing on the modus operandi of fixers, they have different targets in BRC, such
as referees, players, coaches, stadium technician etc. Generally, the organizers (e.g.
gangs) make a trade with parties, and their script of BRC become insider
information of betting, which help them to gain from it.
Why the parties involved in BRC? Obviously, they were rational and had
calculated the benefit, cost, and risk of participation, and it is economically
available. However, under stricter monitoring nowadays, why the demand of BRC
become greater?
Environmental changes are playing a vital role in sporting and betting markets.
As I mentioned, under the boom of Internet, we can receive a large quantity of

BBC:
Fifa
crisis:
Why
corruption
scandal
is
sport's
biggest
ever
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/32909649
2
Forrest, D. (2012). The threat to football from betting-related corruption. International Journal
of Sport Finance, 7(2), 99.

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match information with lower cost through Internet. The internet brings benefit
to those criminals as it can reduce the efforts of operating BRC. Furthermore, the
product of betting become more diverse. The new BRCs do not need to control
the result of a match. On the contrary, they just need to create more corners or
score the first goal by a certain player, which can greatly reduce the risk of BRC.
Why Chinese Football League is vulnerable to betting-related corruption?
The prevalence of BRC in China can be explained by the poor monitoring system,
and the Chinese Football Association (FA) is inactive to address this issue. In 2001
China Jia B League Match Fixing, 5 teams involved in match-fixing so as to
compete for promotion 34 . However, the final result was ridiculous and
unacceptable [appendix II]. In this notorious case, only a referee, Gong Jianping,
sentenced to 10 years in prison. It is obvious that Gong became a scapegoat of this
case5. Furthermore, the attitude of FA was bombarded since they did nothing
until some media revealed this case.
The influence of this case was far-reaching. It showed that FA had done nothing
to combat match-fixing, and led to more prevalent and savage betting-related
corruption. Commonly, the cases would be terminated on FAs level, and seldom
transferred to criminal justice system. Even in the National Sports Law, there is
no clear definitions and punishments of match-fixing and betting-related
corruption6. Because of the absence of capable guardian of football, corruption
become prevalent in Chinese football. [appendix III]
Commentary
David (2012) stated that education on young players can help to reduce their
probability of participating in BRC. However, I think its effectiveness will be much
lower than expected since a complete and complicated BRC network has been
formed in China.
It is true that some people have no way out but to be involved in this network. If
you are not corporate with betting-related agents, you will become their enemy,
and even threaten your life. Korean coach Lee Jang-Soo and Brazilian coach Carlos
3

Li, C., Liu, X., & Wu, C. (2010). Inside Story of Chinese Football. Nanjing: Jiangsu ren min chu
ban she, p.36-43
4
J. (2010). Inside Story of Chinese Football First Round. Beijing: Science Publisher. P.177-193
5
Li, C., Liu, X., & Wu, C. (2010). Inside Story of Chinese Football. p.43-48,
6
Zhang, L. (2010). Causes of Deceitful Gaming, Gambling, Black Whistle in Chinese Football and
Countermeasures. Hebei: Journal of Hebei Institute of Physical Education.

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are popular that they refused to participate in match-fixing, and finally fired by
the clubs78. Another Chinese coach Tang Nip-Po and referee Suen Bo-Jie was even
kidnapped and beaten by gangs respectively, since they disrupted the plan of
BRC910. Most people involved in corruption have no choice in order to survive in
Chinese football 11 . Even Chinese young players are well-educated, they can do
nothing since FA is also involved in BRC. The only way for them to play football in
China is to join this BRC network and corporate with them so as to exchange the
chance of playing matches.
What should China do?
In past one year, corruption is not a hot topic again in Chinese football. Rather,
numerous spending and big name transfers drew a lot of attention from the world.
Players are not only receiving much higher income and welfare, but also do gain
wider supports and respects from society. For instance, Guangzhou Evergrande
entitled at the top of Asia in 2013 and 2015 which brought hopes to Chinese fans
(Unluckily, they are theoretically eliminated from the group stage of current Asian
competition).
Although many people say that money contaminated our football, I believe that
the aforementioned improvements are effective in preventing players and staffs
from corruption. When players receive higher wages and more attention from
society, they may understand that the cost and risk of match-fixing is greater than
benefits they may receive. Once their illegal acts are revealed, they will lose both
their high income and receive great pressure from supporters. On the other hand,
a match-fixer need to pay more for his business. Ultimately, match-fixing become
less prevalent in China.
Thus, does it mean that continuous huge investment can prevent BRC in long run?
No! Football is not a game of money. Rather, under sufficient resources, players
7

In 1999, Lee Jang-Soo, who was head coach of Chongqing Lifan F.C. in League Jia A discovered
something goes wrong during half-time, but someone persuaded him to protect the collective
benefits. (Li, C., Liu, X., & Wu, C. (2010). Inside Story of Chinese Football. p. 026-027)
8
FengWang Sports: Carlos reveal the inside stories of Chinese Football:
http://sports.ifeng.com/gnzq/zc/zhuqiang/detail_2014_06/21/36945661_0.shtml
9
Li, C., Liu, X., & Wu, C. (2010). Inside Story of Chinese Football. P. 091-092
10
Li, C., Liu, X., & Wu, C. (2010). Inside Story of Chinese Football.
11
Not only players, even a whole club involve in BRC so as to survive. Qingdao Hailifeng F.C. was
a famous team that they survive and play games for betting and match-fixing. Opposite team need
to pay them so as to win the match. Otherwise, they must lose this match against Qingdao. (Hao,
H. (2010). Qiu shi er: Zhongguo zu tan fan du da hei di yi xian chang. Beijing: China Sanxia Press.
P.196-199; J. (2010). Inside Story of Chinese Football First Round, p. 193-199)

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and all related parties should cultivate a sense professionalism. With proper
investment and support from society, players can be fulfilled by prestige of
participate in football, and develop a sense of identity of their professions. In one
day, they will understand that playing football and their identities cannot be
measured or replaced by money. When the sense of professionalism is strong and
prevalent, they can resisted seduction from money, and also improve their
mentality, which in turn enhance healthy environment.
Last, to respond my topic - who will be the life-saving straw of China? Actually,
no one can save them from falling, except themselves. Although it may take a long
time for Chinese football to recover, they must stand up again when all parties are
willing to join hand in hand to combat corruption.

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Bibliography
BBC: Fifa crisis: Why corruption scandal is sport's biggest ever
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/32909649
FengWang Sports: Carlos reveal the inside stories of Chinese Football:
http://sports.ifeng.com/gnzq/zc/zhuqiang/detail_2014_06/21/3694566
1_0.shtml
Forrest, D. (2012). The threat to football from betting-related corruption.
International Journal of Sport Finance, 7(2), 99.
Hao, H. (2010). Qiu shi er: Zhongguo zu tan fan du da hei di yi xian chang. Beijing:
China Sanxia Press. P.196-199; J. (2010). Inside Story of Chinese Football
First Round, p. 193-199)
J. (2010). Inside Story of Chinese Football First Round. Beijing: Science Publisher.
P.177-193
Li, C., Liu, X., & Wu, C. (2010). Inside Story of Chinese Football.
Zhang, L. (2010). Causes of Deceitful Gaming, Gambling, Black Whistle in
Chinese Football and Countermeasures. Hebei: Journal of Hebei
Institute of Physical Education.

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Appendix
Appendix I

Appendix II

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Appendix III

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