A Chinese court announced on Wednesday that former Premier League midfielder Li Tie’s appeal against a 20-year sentence for bribery was lost.
In a comprehensive government crackdown on corruption in sport, a lower court detained the former China coach in December, bringing one of the nation’s most well-known football players to justice.
On Wednesday, the Hubei Provincial Higher People’s Court announced in a statement that it had upheld Li’s original jail sentence and had rejected his appeal.
READ MORE: Defiant Raya claims Arsenal can overturn PSG deficit in “It’s Only Half-Time.”
A number of crimes involving the giving and receiving of bribes were found to be his.
The 47-year-old moved to Everton in 2002 and represented his country nearly 100 times.
He retired from the game and spent the next two years as the head coach of the national team.
Since he came to power over a decade ago, President Xi Jinping has waged a relentless campaign against deep-seated corruption.
In 2022, anti-graft authorities targeted the sport industry, and they’ve since announced a number of football administrators, players, and coaches’ convictions.
Andy Jenkins, a darts player, has received an 11-year ban and a fine of more than £17, 000 for fixing matches.
Jenkins, 54, was found guilty of fixing 12 matches that he played between February 2022 and July 2023 by a Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) disciplinary committee.
Jenkins admitted placing 88 wagers on matches between March 2022 and May 2023 despite denying the allegations of match-fixing.
According to the DRA, he also received an additional 12-month suspension that will be effective with his other sanctions.
Jenkins, who defeated eventual champion Raymond van Barneveld, to reach the semi-finals of the PDC World Championship in 2007, has since won 15 titles in his career.
The Gambling Commission’s work with the DRA on the case, which John Pierce, director of enforcement, said: “This case sends a strong and unwavering message to all sportspeople: if you fix matches, you are likely to be caught and face serious consequences.”
Betting customers in Britain should have confidence in the fairness and corruption of the markets they use.
Iran has executed a “senior spy” on charges of cooperating with Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, its judiciary says.
Mohsen Langarneshin, who was hanged on Wednesday morning, provided Mossad with extensive “logistical, technical and operational support” for two years, starting in 2020, the judiciary said via its official news agency, Mizan.
One of the key accusations against Langarneshin was his involvement in the May 2022 killing of an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) colonel, Sayyad Khodai, who was shot dead by two motorcyclists on his way home in Tehran. According to The New York Times, Israel informed the United States that it was responsible for the killing.
Mizan reported that Langarneshin bought a motorcycle to track Khodai’s movements, relayed the information to Mossad and was present during the killing. Additionally, he was accused of supporting an attack on an industrial site in Isfahan, affiliated with Iran’s Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics.
Iran cited “extensive intelligence and technical evidence” linking Langarneshin to these operations, and said he “fully confessed” to his involvement.
Reactions
However, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the head of the Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) monitor, said Langarneshin was sentenced after an unfair trial and a confession was obtained by torture.
“The Iranian authorities ‘ execution machine is accelerating every day, taking the lives of more people”, he told the AFP news agency, describing the executions as “extrajudicial killings”.
The US-based Abdorrahman Boroumand Center, which had campaigned over his case, said Langarneshin had been convicted after his July 2023 arrest at a Revolutionary Court presided over by judge Abolghasem Salavati, sanctioned by the US and EU and notorious for his handing out of death sentences.
“He denied all charges, stating that his confessions were extracted under torture”, the group said.
The Iran-born British actor and activist Nazanin Boniadi wrote on X: “The bloodthirsty Islamic Republic has executed yet another innocent”.
Previous executions
Caught in a decades-long shadow war with Israel, Iran has executed numerous individuals over their alleged links to Mossad, particularly those accused of sabotage and assassination efforts aimed at undermining its nuclear programme.
In December 2023, three men and a woman were executed for their alleged links to Mossad.
Langarneshin’s execution comes amid renewed US-Iran nuclear talks, which Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused Israel of attempting to derail. A fourth round of Oman-mediated negotiations between Washington and Tehran is scheduled for Saturday in Rome, according to Tehran.
Amy Dowden, the star of Strictly Come Dancing, acknowledged today that she was shocked when she received a letter from King Charles and Queen Camilla inviting her to Buckingham Palace. The much-loved professional dancer, 34, is returning to London after conducting admirable campaign to raise awareness of the condition.
Amy tagged the post with a number of shocked, hearty, and tearful emojis as she made her way to the palace while taking a picture of her special invitation today. The King’s invitation read, “The Master of the Household is commanded by their Majesties to invite Ms. Amy Dowden to a Reception to be recognized by community-based cancer support at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, April 30, 2025 at 6pm.”
(Instagram)
In May of 2023, the talented dancer was diagnosed with grade three aggressive breast cancer. When Amy discovered a lump in her breast while on her honeymoon with her husband, Ben Jones, she was on her honeymoon.
Despite her heartbreaking diagnosis and numerous setbacks, she remained optimistic and regularly updated her followers, telling them to be “there with them.”
Amy’s first and second chemotherapy cycles both caused emergency hospital stays and potentially fatal complications, including blood clots and sepsis.
She had a mastectomy later that day, but she was unable to compete in the 2023 Strictly season.
She was diagnosed with “another type of cancer” in July 2023, and she started chemotherapy in August. The Strictly star described the news from doctors as “words I dreamed of” and her “biggest accomplishment yet” in February of last year when she revealed that her most recent health check revealed no signs of illness.
Much to Amy’s heartfelt regret, she returned to Strictly last year with JLS star JB Gill, who had a foot injury, to the BBC, where she was filmed documenting the reality of living with breast cancer.
In an Instagram post shortly after the announcement, she wrote, “Over the past few months, I finally felt like me again.” When I woke up, I no longer had to think about cancer first. What we needed to work on was choreography, music choices, and which dances were done in what order. I regained my freedom.
Since hearing the words “You have cancer,” I’ve been trying to get back on the Strictly dancefloor. I devoted my 2024 to getting back, which we did with my incredible team, because it has been such a challenge. Something I wanted to do for my loved ones and myself.
Amy has also received an MBE for “the lives of those who live with the incurable inflammatory bowel disease” on behalf of “the people who live with the disease.”
Although the dancer is well known for her upbeat demeanor and stunning dance moves while competing on the dance floor, her admirable candor has enriched her relationship with her family and friends.
In the King’s Birthday Honours, she was elected as a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in recognition of her contributions to raising awareness and raising money for the charity Crohn’s & Colitis UK.
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Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden admitted she was in shock after receiving a letter from King Charles and Queen Camilla inviting her to Buckingham Palace today. The much-loved professional dancer, 34, who is recovering from breast cancer, is on her way to London following her admirable campaigning to raise awareness about the disease.
Sharing a snap of her special invite while on the train today, Amy tagged the post with a number of shocked, heart and tearful emojis as she winged her way to the palace. The invitation, which was personally addressed to the Welsh wonder, read: “The Master of the Household is commanded by their Majesties to invite Ms Amy Dowden to a Reception to be given recognition of Community-Based Cancer support at Buckingham Palace by the King on Wednesday 30th April, 2025 at 6pm”.
(Instagram)
The decorated dancer was diagnosed with grade three aggressive breast cancer in May 2023. Amy had been on her honeymoon with husband, Ben Jones, when she discovered a lump in her breast.
However, she remained positive despite her heartbreaking diagnosis and numerous setbacks and regularly updated her followers, telling fellow cancer sufferers she was ‘ there with them’.
Both Amy’s first and second cycles of chemotherapy resulted in emergency hospital stays and life-threatening complications, including sepsis and blood clots.
She later underwent a mastectomy and has since completed her chemotherapy treatments but was unable to compete in the 2023 series of Strictly.
In July 2023, she received a second diagnosis for “another type of cancer”, and began chemotherapy in August. In February last year, the Strictly star revealed her latest health check showed “no evidence of disease”, describing the news from doctors as “words I dreamed of” and her “biggest accomplishment yet”.
Much to fans ‘ delight Amy, whose BBC documentary, Strictly Amy: Cancer and Me, gave an honest portrayal of the reality of living with breast cancer, returned to Strictly last year with JLS star, JB Gill, but heartbreakingly had to pull out of the show after suffering a foot injury.
Following the announcement, she said in an Instagram post: “The past few months I finally felt like me again. Cancer was no longer the first thing I thought of when I woke up. It was choreography, music choices, which dances in which order, what we needed to work on. I felt free again.
” My goal since hearing those words, ‘ You have cancer ‘ was to get back on the Strictly dancefloor. It’s been such a challenge to get back, one I devoted 2024 to which, with my incredible team, we got there. Something I wanted to do for myself and loved ones. “
Amy has also been made an MBE for her services to Crohn’s disease” on behalf “of those who live with the incurable inflammatory bowel disease.
Although the dancer is well known for her upbeat demeanor and stunning dance moves while competing on the dance floor, her admirable candor has enriched her relationship with her family and friends.
In the King’s Birthday Honours, she was elected as a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in recognition of her contributions to raising awareness and raising money for the charity Crohn’s & Colitis UK.
This story, do you like? Follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads for more latest news and gossip.
In order to prepare for Champions League qualification, Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has reduced his stake in the organization.
The governing body of European football, Uefa, has strict regulations governing multi-club ownership schemes, like the one Marinakis oversees.
The Greek businessman also controls Portuguese side Rio Ave. and Greek team Olympiakos.
Both Forest and Olympiakos are on track to advance to the Champions League next year, which would violate Uefa’s regulations prohibiting state clubs with the same ownership from competing in the same European competition.
What the changes’ impact will Marinakis’ involvement with Forest remain a mystery.
In accordance with Uefa’s regulations, the development is one of many changes filed with Companies House.
According to sources, the move is intended to ensure Forest adheres to Uefa’s regulations by ensuring the ownership model is set up.
By the end of April, Forest had to complete the ownership structure changes, which they had to do in accordance with the law.
Forest are sixth in the Premier League, just one point behind Chelsea, who are qualified for the final Champions League round. Fort Fort are a possession of Chelsea.
The Olympiakos are poised to advance to the Champions League and are the top team in Greece.
In the upcoming weeks, former Arsenal sporting director Edu is expected to be confirmed in a new global role within Marinakis’ multi-club model.
Edu has given the north London club a notice since leaving Emirates Stadium in November.
The Brazilian executive hasn’t yet been appointed, despite being aware that he has been working informally since leaving Arsenal.
