On April 3, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) issued an official announcement approving the qualifications of 18 Super League clubs, 17 First Division clubs and 22 Second Division clubs. However, the Guizhou team from the Central League eventually lost its qualification for this season because it failed to meet the AFC's entry conditions and failed to solve the problem of salary arrears for a long time.
The Guizhou team, which once blossomed in the Chinese Super League, is now in a worrying situation, which makes people sigh. In addition to international wage arrears, the problem of wage arrears of Guizhou's local players should not be ignored. In November last year, a number of players spoke out on social media, calling on the relevant departments to help recover their wages. According to the players, the club owed 14 and a half months of wages, as well as some bonuses and performance for the 2019 season so far, and even refused to send the team to matches. Despite the club's subsequent promises to the players and the public debunking of the rumors, the issue has never been properly resolved.
According to internal team documents, by the end of 2020, Guizhou's salary and bonus arrears have totaled more than 71.4 million yuan, including about 10.15 million yuan in coaching salaries and 61.25 million yuan in player salaries. Together with the arrears in 2021, the total amount may be close to 100 million yuan. It is reported that most of the outstanding salaries of Guizhou's players and coaches have not yet been paid out, and with the loss of qualification and the team possibly facing disbandment, the players may be in a situation where they have no way to collect their salaries. The salary contracts of some players have been transferred from the club to Hengfeng Group, and these players have now hired lawyers to prepare to submit the matter to the court. Moreover, the relevant court in Guiyang has accepted the case and will announce the date of the hearing in due course.
