Li Tie seemed destined to take the Chinese soccer world by storm, and on the eve of the Chinese New Year, he was expected to ascend to the position of secretary general of the Football Association (FA). However, Chen Yongliang, director of the national management department, who was almost within reach of the goal, was subjected to an investigation on Jan. 15, despite which the FA skillfully avoided another embarrassment.
The FA Secretary General's fiasco involves more than 20 people, including former Secretary Generals, club GMs, players, and even international players with the surnames Qin and Dong as exposed by Ran Xiongfei. As soon as the news broke, fans speculated that players with the surname Qin, known for their multi-lingual abilities and fiery tempers, were among the few eligible Qin players in the Chinese Super League, and the answer seemed obvious.
International players with the surname Dong have caused even more controversy, one of them being goalkeeper Dong Chunyu, who was brought in by Li Tie, and the other being Dong Student of the Wuhan men's soccer team. Before fans' questions escalated, Dong Student released his position in Hainan in time to prove he had not fled.
Dong Chunyu, on the other hand, with the support of Li Tie, showed photos of his return to his Shenyang hometown to accompany his sister to look at her wedding house. Both the photos and the positioning helped to dispel rumors of escape, while also preserving the suspense of the Dong player.
Lee Pinkham's comments on players running away were spot on. He said bluntly, "The so-called escape is subjective. If they can escape, it means they have not yet been found, or at least not controlled by the border. If they are like Zhang Lu and Ding Yong, perhaps they will not escape in December."
After Chen Yongliang was investigated, Ran Xiongfei exposed dark information about He Xi, another candidate for Secretary General of the Football Association. Chen Yongliang was quickly taken away by the investigation team, leaving many fans worried about He Xi's situation, which could be the next target.
It is unclear whether He Xi will be locked up, but Li Pingkang's name has appeared on the big fish list. Unlike Ran Xiongfei, Li Pingkang is outspoken and says that if no one of the Du Chen duo is responsible for this, it will be for nothing. His blunt words also point directly to the ultimate target, but it will take time to reveal whether this comes true.
