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Crime
People & CultureChina Personalities

Former Chinese kickboxing champion accused of being a loan shark, raising concerns about fate of retired athletes

  • Li Teng is wanted for being part of a 19-person lending gang that beat up people who owed money
  • Li won a gold medal in Chinese-style kickboxing at the 2006 Asian Games in Qatar

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Li Teng is a former kickboxing champion who is wanted by police for participating in an illegal lending scheme. Photo: Handout
Mandy Zuoin Shanghai
A former champion boxer is wanted by police in eastern China for suspicion of taking part in an illegal lending scheme and causing “intentional injury”.
The case has highlighted public misgivings about the fate of high-level athletes in China after they retire.
Li Teng, who is now 33 years old, is accused of being part of a 19-person gang led by Yu Jia, who has been detained.
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The closing ceremonies of the 2006 Asian Games in Qatar, where Li won a gold medal. Photo: SCMP
The closing ceremonies of the 2006 Asian Games in Qatar, where Li won a gold medal. Photo: SCMP

Police in Hefei, in Anhui province, said the group offered loans with extremely high interest rates and used violence to collect debts when clients could not pay back the money.

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A police statement over the weekend read: “The police are seeking clues about the gang from the general public in order to complete a thorough investigation into the crimes they committed.”

Police have detained most of the gang, but Li, who is also wanted for “causing intentional injury”, is on the run, according to local newspaper Xinan Evening News.

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