Li Tong, Nike Executive, Accused Of $30,000 Bribe To Chinese Soccer Official

The Nike swoosh displayed in Shanghai. The sporting goods maker was tied to the corruption in Chinese soccer during a trial on Tuesday.

Just as Walmart faces accusations of bribery in Mexico, another mega-corporation is fielding its own corruption charges on foreign soil.

Li Tong, Nike China's marketing director, allegedly gave a $30,000 bribe to Chinese Football Association head Xie Yalong to secure a Nike sponsorship deal for the Chinese Super League, according to documents revealed Tuesday in a trial in northeastern China and published in an Oregon paper.

Li Tong, a former Chinese Olympian, was arrested in September 2010 as part of a wider investigation on match-fixing and bribery, the Oregonian reported, citing a Xinhua General News article. But it was Xie Yalong who was on trial Tuesday, allegedly because he accepted about $273,000 in bribes from various interests.

Nike said in a statement Tuesday that it had not been contacted by Chinese authorities about the Li Tong allegation, and that it strongly opposed "any form of manipulation or bribery." It was similar to the statement that the sportswear giant made when Li Tong was arrested nearly two years ago, according to an Australian website.

Li Tong, sometimes known as Tony Li stateside, was held in the northeast province of Liaoning and released after helping an investigation into Chinese soccer corruption, the Australian site said, quoting a Chinese sports publication.

Walmart is accused of handing out $29 million in bribes to Mexican officials for permits, and then covering it up.

While the alleged bribes associated with the Chinese soccer scandal are smaller, their effect may have had a huge impact on sports licensing in China. A site called Unprofessionalfoul.com reported back in 2010 that Nike's contract with the Chinese Super League was worth $15 million for 2010 and could expand to 10 years for $200 million. It was a sweetheart of a deal compared to the $500 million that rival Adidas paid to the Chinese national team, raising the possibility that Li Tong engaged in bribery to strike such a bargain, the site said.

Comments

[kharis]

10:58 AM on 04/26/2012

Just another example of the greedy, crooked 1 percenters.

[Harley max]

09:13 AM on 04/26/2012

No problem. Its business.

[legitane]

09:05 AM on 04/26/2012

Paying 12 year olds 16 cents an hour in sweat shop conditions is Capitalism at its finest...
Giving someone a $30,000 bribe is the cherry on top....
Keep buying those $150 sneakers....

[wstrvlr]

08:57 AM on 04/26/2012

Nike used to be the best out there in shoe quality; not anymore. They used to sew their soles on, now they just use cheap glue. They don't even hold up for 6 months, whereas they used to last for years of wear. To get decent footware you almost have to go to a cobbler & have it custom made. Bring back quality, bring back the jobs to the USA & bring back the pride of manufacturing quality that used to be in factory employees years ago.

[vavet]

08:53 AM on 04/26/2012

Will the horrors never end? Where are the OWSs? Sound the alarm, ban Nike.

[aspman07]

09:14 AM on 04/26/2012

Mommie and Daddy made them go home.

[Richard58]

08:33 AM on 04/26/2012

The US should impose 100% tariffs on all that imported Nike stuff. Why Americans pay $100 for sneakers that cost $10 to make is something I guess I will never understand. But Nike is thinking, "thank-you suckers!'

[dennisfps]

08:30 AM on 04/26/2012

Bribes are part of doing business in Mexico....Although we like to regard Mexico as our own little resort/vacation home it is easily one of the most corrupt countries in our hemisphere.

[csforamerica]

08:00 AM on 04/26/2012

And this is the company that is using high paid lobbyists to work with $enators, congre$$ rep$ and the pre$ident to get footwear tarriffs removed on their imports.

[Excalibur2011]

07:59 AM on 04/26/2012

Accusing Nike or Walmart of some immoral act while our own government enages in it everyday is pure hypocracy.

[lifehub]

06:56 AM on 04/26/2012

So many complainers here. Typical. Yet these are the ones who mob Walmart in droves and buy sneakers $300+. What a hoot.

[mosuro]

05:39 AM on 04/26/2012

reebok won the bid on NFL contract

[wmarr16600]

12:17 AM on 04/26/2012

to bad so far apart , could be cell mates ??

[parabq]

12:00 AM on 04/26/2012

Nikes been bribing schools, coaches athletes etcc from day one !!!! Amazing !!

[wmarr16600]

12:18 AM on 04/26/2012

time to pay

[California Beach Bum]

11:21 PM on 04/25/2012

Like this is a huge surprise?

[DeceptionIsReality]

11:08 PM on 04/25/2012

Business as usual around the globe.

[Excalibur2011]

08:00 AM on 04/26/2012

There you go...right on!