In a recent development on September 10th, the Chinese Football Association officially announced its first ever list of football ban penalties, with players such as Jin Jingdao, Sun Junhao, Guo Tianyu, Gu Chao, and 44 others receiving lifetime bans. However, many players, including South Korean player Sun Junhao, have expressed their innocence and claimed to be falsely accused. Sun Junhao, who previously played for Shandong Taishan, revealed that he was threatened by the police and forced to confess in order to secure his release. Other players who received a 5-year ban have also expressed their dissatisfaction and intend to appeal the decision.
The Chinese National Sports Bureau and the Ministry of Public Security held a press conference on September 10th regarding the special operation “Crackdown on Football League’s ‘False Gambling Black’ Issues”, announcing disciplinary measures against 61 football industry personnel involved. Among them, 43 individuals have been permanently banned from engaging in any football-related activities in China, including three former Chinese national players Jin Jingdao, Guo Tianyu, Gu Chao, and South Korean player Sun Junhao.
According to reports from the South Korean press agency, Sun Junhao, who previously played for Shandong Taishan and currently plays for K League club Suwon FC, held a press conference on September 11th in Suwon city, Gyeonggi province, where he disclosed the threats he faced while detained at Chaoyang Detention Center in Liaoning. The Chinese police allegedly threatened to detain his wife and bring her for interrogation to force Sun Junhao to confess. They even showed him pictures of his child, threatening him by saying, “What would happen to the child without parents?”
Sun Junhao tearfully stated during the press conference, “I have never participated in match-fixing. The only evidence they have is a confession obtained illegally under duress.”
He mentioned that the Chinese police assured him that confessing would lead to his release within 7 to 15 days and that being a foreigner, he would be eligible for bail. Exhausted and desperate to return home, Sun Junhao confessed to the charges before meeting his lawyer for the first time.
Sun Junhao acknowledged that admitting to match manipulation would ruin his career, but the judge stated that the charge was bribery and would not affect his career.
Furthermore, he was warned not to disclose his situation to the outside world, as it would jeopardize his professional career.
Sun Junhao explained that he was investigated due to financial transactions with his former teammate at Shandong Taishan, the Chinese national player Jin Jingdao, denying any involvement in match-fixing and mentioning that they became friends due to their mutual language proficiency.
Sun Junhao was taken by the Chinese police in May 2023 at Shanghai Hongqiao Airport before leaving for his home country and was under criminal detention on suspicion of accepting bribes. After his release in June, he was sent back to South Korea after nearly 10 months of detention. Subsequently, he joined Suwon FC in June.
He pointed out that one condition for his release was never to mention the conditions of his detention by the Chinese authorities. However, being listed among the players banned for life by the Chinese Football Association has shocked him, prompting him to reveal the truth.
Sun Junhao stated that he was not subjected to deliberate mistreatment during his detention, but conditions were extremely harsh.
On September 10th, the Chinese Football Association issued a decision regarding the violation of regulations and discipline by Sun Junhao, accusing him of seeking illegitimate benefits, involvement in improper transactions, match-fixing, and gaining illegal profits. If the Chinese Football Association reports Sun Junhao’s lifetime ban to FIFA, the 32-year-old professional player might face a global ban.
Cameroonian foreign player Ai Helu, who previously played for Heilongjiang Ice City, mentioned that his team captain Li Shuai gave him money under the guise of bonuses. Two years after leaving the club, Ai Helu was brought in by the police in Guangxi Pingguo to assist in the investigation and was later proved innocent. He never attended the court trial nor received any further communication.
Former player Wang Song proclaimed that he never admitted to the charges, having participated in over 600 matches since his debut in 2001, feeling “innocent in conscience”. Wang Song expressed shock over the football ban penalty and, after understanding the reasons behind it, felt “speechless and resigned”.
Additionally, 17 individuals, including Bahaderjan Wulumujiang, received a five-year ban from engaging in any football-related activities in China.