The 2023 season of the Chinese Super League is hot, and the eyes of domestic fans follow the game. Looking back at the 2022 season, a sudden dark horse, Wuhan Sanzhen, won the title against all odds in style. But a soccer anti-corruption storm swept through the country, and new developments in the case of international player Jin Jingdao have left the once-acclaimed champions facing the crisis of being stripped of the title. And Zhejiang, who finished third in the Chinese Super League last season, may be on the verge of a historic moment, asking for the title for the first time.
On the eve of last year's World Cup, the former international player Li Tie, who had led the Chinese men's soccer team to the World Cup, was taken away by the relevant departments, unveiling the prelude to the turmoil of Chinese soccer. After the Li Tie incident, the CFA middle and senior management were taken away one after another, and Chinese soccer entered the stage of everyone's self-protection. As Li Tie's case deepens, Jin Jingdao's gambling case surfaces, which involves Shandong Taishan's main players. A major breakthrough has been made in the case of Jin Jingdao, whose role in the Shandong Taishan team has attracted attention.
South Korean foreign aid Sun Junho has become the first foreign aid in the history of the Chinese Super League to be taken away by Chinese authorities for investigation, raising concerns over his alleged bribery of non-state workers. According to Ran Xiongfei, after the breakthrough of Kim Kyung-do's case, Sun Jun-ho was also implicated in the case, suspected of receiving huge sums of black money and match-fixing.
So where does the huge amount of black money involved in Sun Junhao come from? According to media reports, many years ago, was Li Tie took the Wuhan Football Association Secretary General, the Chinese Football Association Executive Committee Fu Xiang, through Sun Zhun Hao's agent Zhou Kaixuan, operating Wuhan three towns of foreign aid Jade Song transferred to Shandong Taishan, Guo Tianyu joined Wuhan Zhuoer on loan. Fu Xiang was commissioned by the Chinese troops, through Zhou Kaixuan bribe Shandong Taishan team manager Hao Wei, foreign aid Sun Zhunhao and Guo Tianyu, the purpose is to make Shandong Taishan lose, help Wuhan three towns to win the championship.
The bribe amounted to as much as 2 million dollars, which was given away in three different matches, namely Shandong Taishan's home match against a central championship team, an away match against Cangzhou, and an away match against a central championship team. Obviously, the aim is to make Shandong Taishan lose and help the central team win the championship. Currently, Fu Xiang, Zhou Kaixuan, Hao Wei, Sun Junhao, Guo Tianyu are under investigation.
Although the news did not specify the name of the central championship team, fans know by heart that Wuhan was the only team to compete with Shandong Taishan for the title last season. Wuhan Sanzhen happens to be the central team and Fu Xiang is the former secretary general of the Wuhan Football Association. Therefore, this team is likely to be Wuhan Sanzhen. Last season, Wuhan won the championship and Shandong Taishan was the runner-up.
If the news is finally confirmed, Wuhan Sanzhen and Shandong Taishan, who were involved in the match-fixing, will undoubtedly be penalized by the CFA. Due to the large number of matches involved, three of which have already been exposed, Wuhan Sanzhen could be stripped of their championship honors. Shandong Taishan, although involved, will not be able to make up the championship position, with third-ranked Zhejiang expected to win their first ever Chinese Super League title. Although the matter is still in the rumor stage, many things tend to be rumored first in Chinese football.
