China's General Administration of Sport and the Ministry of Public Security held a joint press conference in Dalian on September 10, 2024, on the special campaign against "假赌黑" (match-fixing, gambling and corruption) in professional football leagues, the sports ministry said1. Officials from the ministry's competitive sports department, the ministry's public security bureau and the Chinese Football Association (CFA) presented details and took questions1.
The public security bureau said that since 2022 it had directed police in Liaoning and other areas to break up cases involving betting, match manipulation and bribery1. Police arrested 128 suspects, dismantled 12 online gambling rings and verified 120 matches suspected of betting or fixing1. Criminal coercive measures were taken against 83 players, referees, coaches and club managers1. Courts have so far ruled on 44 football personnel, with 34 given fixed-term prison sentences or heavier punishment1. The first batch of case files on 61 people has been handed to the sports ministry and the CFA1.
The CFA announced disciplinary penalties against those 61 people under its disciplinary code1:
| Penalty | Number of people | Named example |
|---|---|---|
| Lifetime ban from any football-related activity in China | 43 | Jin Jingdao (金敬道) |
| Five-year ban from any football-related activity in China | 17 | Bahejiang Wureman (巴合江·吾尔满) |
The CFA also said former Hangzhou Greentown player Shen Liuxi (沈刘曦), who was banned for life in 2013, was convicted in this case of running a casino and that the association reissued its notice demanding the ban be strictly enforced across the industry1.
"无论是足球从业人员还是俱乐部，只要涉及"假赌黑"等违法犯罪，必将严肃处理，绝不姑息，并及时向社会公布，接受社会监督。"
The competitive sports department called the problem a "cancer" eroding football and a "stumbling block" to the sport's revival, and said the ministry would work with police to stop its spread1.
What it means for players
The campaign targets the professional game in China, not casual betting, but it touches anyone who bets on Chinese football. The 120 matches flagged as suspected betting or fixing have not been listed individually in the announcement, so it has not been reported which fixtures are affected or whether past results will be voided. Bets placed on Chinese league and cup matches sit inside a market that police now describe as having been manipulated at scale, and the 12 online gambling rings broken up point to the offshore and underground operators that take Chinese football action. For background on how those markets work and the risks attached, see illegal bookmakers in Asia and fixed-match sellers and tipster scams. Gambling law in mainland China itself is covered in Can I Gamble in China?, and the wider regional picture in football betting in Asia.
What happens next
Police said they will keep pursuing fixing, betting, match manipulation and bribery cases, and will continue sending names of implicated football personnel to the sports ministry and the CFA in batches as investigations proceed1. The sports ministry said it will deepen its joint mechanism with police, strengthen party-building and political education in football, improve industry oversight and promote football culture1. No dates were given for the next batch of names or for any further disciplinary announcements1.
Sources1 sources
- 国家体育总局 公安部深化足球职业联赛“假赌黑”问题专项整治_国家体育总局, sport.gov.cn
