In the aftermath of the investigation into Gou Zhongwen, the former director of the General Administration of Sport, many believed that the anti-corruption efforts within China's sports sector might have come to an end. However, this was merely a perception; in reality, the anti-corruption campaign within the domestic sports sector has not ceased and is ongoing. Indeed, another high-ranking official from the original General Administration of Sport has been officially announced to be under investigation. Recently, it was officially declared that Li Quanqiang, the former director of the Volleyball Management Center under the General Administration of Sport, is suspected of serious violations of discipline and law, and is currently undergoing disciplinary review and supervision investigation.
Within the context of anti-corruption within the domestic sports sector, the most profound impression is naturally associated with the anti-corruption efforts in the domestic football sector. Just before the commencement of the Qatar World Cup, Li Tie, the former head coach of the Chinese men's national football team and a former well-known international player, who was originally scheduled to appear as a heavyweight commentator for a domestic live broadcast platform, was suddenly taken away for investigation during a coaching training session. Li Tie's removal marked the formal opening of the anti-corruption curtain in the domestic football sector. Shortly thereafter, dozens of individuals within the domestic football circle, including several high-level officials from the Chinese Football Association, were subjected to investigations or assistance in investigations. Ultimately, even Gou Zhongwen, the former director of the General Administration of Sport, was implicated.
This time, the investigation concerns Chinese volleyball. It is understood that Li Quanqiang's acceptance of the investigation means that both the former and current directors of the Volleyball Management Center under the General Administration of Sport have fallen. Li Quanqiang's predecessor was Pan Zhichen, who served as the director of the Volleyball Management Center from March 2013 to August 2015. During this period, Pan Zhichen's greatest achievement was inviting Lang Ping to return and serve as the head coach of the Chinese women's national volleyball team, ultimately winning the gold medal at the Rio Olympics.
However, on August 4, 2015, this director was suddenly announced by the authorities to be suspected of serious violations of discipline and law, and was placed under investigation. On the same day, the General Administration of Sport decided to remove Pan Zhichen from his position as director of the Volleyball Management Center. Eventually, Pan Zhichen was sentenced to four years in prison and fined 300,000 yuan.
Li Quanqiang, on the other hand, has been working in the volleyball field for a long time. As early as November 1997, he assumed the position of director of the office of the Volleyball Management Center under the State Sports Commission. Subsequently, he also served as the leader of both the Chinese men's and women's national volleyball teams. In March 2006, he returned to the Volleyball Management Center to serve as the deputy director, and since June 25, 2007, he has served as the vice-chairman of the Chinese Volleyball Association. In February 2017, Li Quanqiang officially became the director of the Volleyball Management Center. On August 31, 2022, Li Quanqiang reached the age of 60 and officially retired.
During Li Quanqiang's tenure as director of the Volleyball Management Center, the Chinese volleyball team experienced multiple major competitions, but the results did not meet expectations. The Chinese women's volleyball team, participating in the Tokyo Olympics as defending champions, suffered a crushing defeat and failed to advance beyond the group stage. The results of other major competitions were also unsatisfactory. As for the Chinese men's volleyball team, it is even less mentioned, going from the top 16 in the World Championships to being unable to participate in the three major competitions. At the 2018 Asian Games, they only managed to secure ninth place, creating their worst record ever. Similarly, there are persistent issues with the domestic volleyball league.