World Cup star accuses Chinese police of threatening family to force false match fixing confession

Son Jun-ho broke down in tears Wednesday as he accused Chinese police of forcing him into a false confession by threatening his family in a press conference a day after the country’s football authorities banned him for life on charges of match fixing

Suwon FC midfielder Son Jun-ho wipes away tears during a press conference at Suwon City Sports Council in Suwon, Gyeonggi on Wednesday. [YONHAP]

Korean midfielder Son Jun-ho broke down in tears Wednesday as he accused Chinese police of forcing him into a false confession by threatening his family in a press conference a day after the country’s football authorities banned him for life on charges of gambling and match fixing.

"The Chinese police presented ridiculous charges," Son said during a press conference in Suwon, Gyeonggi. “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.

"I said I hadn't done anything like that. While showing me pictures of my daughter and son on my phone, they pressured me, saying: 'What did the children do to deserve this? 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 he was not given adequate access to a lawyer or comprehensive Korean translations.

Son said police told him that if he admitted his guilt he would be released faster. He said that he did so out of concern and fear for his family, reiterating that confession was coerced and calling on China to release audio recordings of the interrogation.

Son called the press conference on Wednesday after the Chinese Football Association (CFA) on Tuesday named him on a list of 43 people banned for life for involvement in match fixing. Son played for Shandong Taiwan from 2021 to 2023 and was detained for 10 months last year on unspecified match fixing charges.

But the CFA cannot ban Son from playing football, as only FIFA has the right to do so as the world governing football body. FIFA has not responded to a request for comment from the Korea JoongAng Daily on the Son situation as of press time Wednesday.

Wednesday’s press conference comes nearly six months after Son returned to Korea after being detained in China for 319 days.

The former Shandong midfielder was detained on May 12 last year at an airport in Shanghai in what China has called a bribery investigation. Under Chinese law, police can detain suspects for up to 37 days before a prosecutor approves an arrest.

He was formally arrested exactly 37 days after being detained. Son’s agent in China was also arrested.

The arrest came amid a crackdown on match fixing in Chinese football, although the exact details leading to Son’s arrest have never been disclosed.

Upon his return to Korea, Son joined K5 team Kunyoong FC in April to reportedly find his feet and transferred to K League 1 side Suwon in June.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN, JIM BULLEY [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]