Suwon FC player Son Jun-ho pauses to gather himself during a press conference in Suwon, south of Seoul, on Sept. 11, 2024, claiming his innocence in light of China’s decision to ban him for life over match-fixing charges. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Sept. 13 (Korea Bizwire) — China has informed the top international and Asian football bodies of its recent decision to ban South Korean player Son Jun-ho for life over match-fixing charges, the sport’s national football body in Seoul said Thursday.
An official for the Korea Football Association (KFA) said the Chinese Football Association (CFA) had sent an official document Wednesday notifying its South Korean counterpart that it had sent information regarding Son’s ban to FIFA and also the Asian Football Confederation.
The CFA announced Tuesday that Son, who played at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, was one of 43 people banned for life from all football-related activities because of match fixing.
Should FIFA decide to apply the ban worldwide, it would spell the end of Son’s career at 32.
The midfielder began his club career in South Korea’s K League 1 in 2014 and won the league MVP award in 2020. He went on to play for Shandong Taishan FC in China from 2021 to 2023.
Son was detained by Chinese authorities in May last year over bribery allegations and was released in March this year. He then signed for the K League 1 club Suwon FC in June.
On Wednesday, Son held an emotional press conference in which he claimed his innocence and accused the Chinese police of forcing him to admit to bogus bribery charges. He said police threatened to arrest his wife unless he confessed to taking a bribe.
Son also said that prior to a trial, a judge offered him a quick release in exchange for his admission to receiving 200,000 yuan (US$28,090) in cash. With an understanding that he would only be charged with bribery but not match fixing, Son agreed to the deal and was sent home after 10 months in jail.
Son said he was shocked that the CFA had banned him for match fixing because he had never once admitted to fixing matches and Chinese authorities had failed to present any evidence that he had been involved in fixing schemes.
Son acknowledged he once received 200,000 yuan from his Shandong teammate, Jin Jingdao, a few days after a January 2023 match that police claimed was fixed. Son said he didn’t recall exactly why Jin had sent him the money but insisted that the transaction wasn’t done for any illegal reasons.
When asked Thursday about Son’s assertion that he made a forced confession, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said China is “a country that upholds the rule of law.”
“The judicial authorities in China handle cases in strict accordance with the law, and fully protect the lawful rights and interests of the person concerned,” Mao said in her regular press briefing, according to an English-language transcript posted on the ministry’s website. “Son Jun-ho admitted his wrongdoing, accepted the punishment, expressed remorse in court and said he would not appeal.”
In July 2012, the KFA informed FIFA of its decision to issue lifetime bans on 41 K League players over match fixing, and the top global football body decided to apply the bans around the world in January 2013.
(Yonhap)
