Career
While not technically illegal, the decision represented a rare and bold move in a country where candidates for political office are typically appointed by the Communist Party of China. Li, nicknamed "Li Da Yan" ("big-eyed Li"), began his career as a journalist and first rose to prominence for covering on corruption within China's professional soccer establishment. Li later coauthored a book on the subject, Chinese Soccer: The Inside Story, which documented allegations of pervasive match-fixing involving coaches, players, referees and officials.
The book asserted that nearly every professional Chinese soccer player had faced varying degrees of pressure or coercion by gambling syndicates to participate in fixing games. He says his coverage of the issue prompted persistent and anonymous threats against him and his family. His profile grew in the aftermath of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.
Having experienced the tremors in his apartment in Chengdu, Li committed himself to assisting in rescue efforts in the areas most severely impacted. He recently published a novel titled, Li Kele Protests Demolitions, which took a critical look at forced demolitions in China. In 2010, Li announced he would be running as an independent candidate to serve in the People's Congress of Wuhou district, Chengdu.
Although China's constitution protects the rights of any citizens over the age of 18 to vote and run for local election, in practice these positions are generally filled by Communist Party-appointed candidates. Individuals who attempt to run as independents or self-nominated candidates sometimes face repercussions. A number of prominent cultural figures, writers, and academics endorsed Li's candidacy including blogger Han Han, film director Feng Xiaogang, and legal scholar Yu Jianrong and He Weifang.
