Hit with lifetime ban, football player Son Jun-ho claims innocence, says China forced him to admit fake charges

South Korean football player Son Jun-ho on Wednesday denied match-fixing and bribery charges levied on him by China, claiming that Chinese authorities coerced him into admitting bogus accusations in exchange for an early release that never came.

Son, currently midfielder for the South Korean side Suwon FC, held an emotional press conference a day after the Chinese Football Association (CFA) slapped him with a lifetime ban for manipulating matches for illegal gains.

Son, who played for Shandong Taishan FC in China from 2021 to 2023, was detained by Chinese police in May last year over bribery charges and was released in March this year.

In announcing Son as one of 43 people to be banned for life, the CFA said Tuesday the South Korean player had "participated in illegal transactions, manipulated football matches, and obtained illegal gains to seek unlawful benefits."

The CFA added it would send its findings to FIFA to see if further steps will be taken. FIFA may decide to apply the CFA's ban globally, which would then end Son's career at age 32.

Struggling to maintain his composure while detailing his arrest and 10 months in a Chinese jail cell, Son said Chinese police forced him to admit to bribery charges, or his wife would also be arrested.

"Police said I could get out within a week or 15 days if I admitted to bribery accusations," Son said at a press conference in Suwon, just south of Seoul. "They said if I didn't do it, then my wife would also be sent to jail and face investigation. I was so scared and I just wanted to see my family as soon as possible. I had no choice but to admit to those charges, even though I had no idea how they brought about those charges."

That admission didn't result in an early release, despite the police's assurance. And when he walked back on his words, Chinese authorities brought "ridiculous pieces of evidence and threatened me to admit to those accusations again," Son said.

"The only evidence that they had was the false acknowledgment that they forced out of me," Son added.

Days turned into weeks and months. As his trial approached, Son said he was called into a meeting with a judge and another person who appeared to be a high-ranking government official.

In that meeting, the judge offered to release Son if the player admitted to taking 200,000 yuan (US$28,115) in bribes.

"As a football player, I obviously thought fixing matches was an absolute disgrace, and knew that doing so would be fatal to my career," Son said. "So I rejected the judge's offer at first. But the judge said this was not match fixing, but only bribery, and that I would have no trouble continuing my playing career."

Son said he had been so exhausted mentally and physically by that point that all he wanted to do was come home.

"I received 160,000 yuan in bonus for each win. And I figured people wouldn't think someone making that money per win would fix matches for only 200,000 yuan," Son said. "I just wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. I think anyone in that situation would have felt the same way."

Son said the judge and the official warned him never to disclose what had gone on in their meetings, or his career would be in jeopardy.

"The trial was just a formality, and I was finally able to come home," Son said. "I feel so relieved to get these things off my chest. I was told the Chinese police do not have audio recordings of their questioning sessions with me. If they have nothing to hide, then they should release their audio files. I want to show people in Korea how I was treated and how I was forced to testify, and prove that I am innocent."

Son said while with Shandong, he was particularly close with Jin Jingdao, who has also been banned for match fixing, because he spoke Korean as a person of Korean descent and took good care of Son's family while they were in China.

Son admitted he had borrowed money from Jin and the two often exchanged gifts, but insisted, "I never once accepted anything as a bribe from him."

"I can confidently and truthfully say that I have never fixed matches," Son added. "Chinese police looked at our transaction records and tried to frame them as match-fixing schemes. But other than my false confession, they didn't have any other proof."

According to Son, Chinese authorities pointed to a match between Shandong and Shanghai Port in January 2023 as the one in which Son tried to fix the result.

But those officials did not offer any concrete evidence that Son was involved in fixing. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.

"As a defensive midfielder, I couldn't have fixed the match alone. I am not a goal scorer. All the players that have been implicated in the fixing scandal either didn't play at all or played maybe 10 minutes in that match. I played the full 90 minutes," Son said. "I can assure you I gave my best effort in that match and we managed a draw against a powerful team."

Son admitted that he once received 200,000 yuan from Jin about "five or six days" after the Shanghai match, but said he didn't remember exactly why, other than that it was "never for any illegal reason."

"He and I never once talked about anything related to match fixing," Son said.

Son also said he later found out Jin had testified to Chinese police that he had wired Son some money and bought clothes and shoes for the South Korean teammate.

"I was really shocked, because I had trusted him so much," Son said. "I've tried to forget about him. I haven't been in touch with him since this incident. I have no idea what happened to him and what charges he faced."

As for why he had decided to disclose his meeting with the judge prior to the trial, despite the judge's warning, Son said, "I have nothing to lose."

"I wanted to tell the truth," Son added. "I am not a criminal. I am a victim here. I thought that if I stayed quiet, people would see me as a criminal."

There is a Korean precedent for bans issued by a national federation being expanded by FIFA to cover international football.

In July 2012, the Korea Football Association informed FIFA of its decision to ban 41 players for life over match fixing, and the top global football body decided to apply the penalty around the world in January 2013.

Son's agent, Park Dae-yeon, said the CFA does not have evidence of Son's match fixing.

"The CFA must prove Son Jun-ho engaged in illegal activities on specific matches, but since they don't have such proof, FIFA may not side with the CFA," Park said. "But if FIFA does decide to apply the ban internationally, then we will hire a lawyer and respond accordingly." (Yonhap)