South Korean World Cup star Son Jun-ho broke down in tears Wednesday, denying allegations of match-fixing and accusing China of blackmail after receiving a lifetime ban from the Chinese Football Association (CFA).
Son, who played for Shandong Taishan in the Chinese Super League, was accused of match-fixing by the CFA and detained for 10 months last year.
The midfielder, who appeared in three of South Korea's four matches at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, returned to South Korea in March after being released from detention in May 2023.
This week, he was among 43 individuals banned for life by Chinese authorities over alleged gambling and match-fixing.
A weeping and visibly emotional Son told reporters that his arrest had been an "overwhelming shock."
He claimed that Chinese police threatened his family, including his children, to coerce him into confessing to the charges.
"The Chinese police presented ridiculous charges," he said. "They threatened that if I didn't admit to the charges, my wife would be arrested through the foreign ministry and brought to the same detention center to be investigated with me."
Son also alleged that he was not provided adequate Korean translations or access to a lawyer. He said he was "dumbfounded" when he realized he was being accused of bribery.
"I said I hadn't done anything like that," the 32-year-old said, frequently pausing to wipe away tears.
Son was held "on suspicion of accepting bribes by non-state employees" without receiving details about the allegations. He claimed his family was used to extract a confession.
"While showing me pictures of my daughter and son on my phone, they pressured me, saying: 'What did the children do to deserve this?' They added, 'If your wife comes here too, how will the kids manage? Don’t you think your children want to see their father? So admit it quickly.'"
Son said Chinese police offered him a deal, promising quick release if he confessed to the charges.
"Overwhelmed with fear and concern for my family, I had no choice but to admit to charges I didn’t even understand, just to return to my family quickly," he said.
He called for the release of audio files from his interrogation to prove "how they coerced a confession from me."
"I want to clear my name with absolute transparency. The only evidence they had was my false confession, obtained through the intense pressure of their early interrogation tactics."
Under President Xi Jinping, Beijing has intensified its crackdown on corruption in Chinese sports, particularly football, resulting in the imprisonment of numerous top officials. Xi, a self-described football enthusiast, has expressed a desire for China to host and win the World Cup.
However, repeated corruption scandals and disappointing results on the pitch have made that goal seem more distant.
After returning to South Korea, Son joined the fifth-tier league before making it to top-league team Suwon FC in June.
Son was not selected for the national squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers last week due to the "risk" associated with the Chinese allegations, according to head coach Hong Myung-bo.
