Chinese football has banned 43 people, including former internationals and South Korean player Son Jun-ho, for life over a match-fixing and gambling scandal.

[dropcap]C[/dropcap]hinese football has imposed lifetime bans on 43 individuals, including three former national players and South Korean footballer Son Jun-ho, for their involvement in gambling and match-fixing.

The Chinese Football Association (CFA) accused Son, who previously played for Shandong Taishan in the Chinese Super League, of participating in match-fixing and accepting bribes.

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This announcement comes as part of a two-year investigation involving 128 people, led by China’s public security ministry.

The probe forms part of a broader government crackdown on corruption in sports, particularly football.

Among those banned is former Chinese international Jin Jingdao, who also played for Shandong Taishan.

China’s football leadership has been under scrutiny, with several top officials, including former CFA chairman Chen Xuyuan, being jailed for bribery.

Chen received a lifetime prison sentence, while another official, Li Yuyi, was sentenced to 11 years.

The bans were announced shortly before China’s 2026 World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia, as Beijing intensifies efforts to clean up its sports sector.