Chinese basketball fans criticize US-China brawl

[August 19, 2011]  BEIJING (AP) -- Chinese basketball fans slammed a military team Friday for their part in an on-court brawl with visiting American players during a match that was supposed to promote good will during U.S. Vice President Joe Biden's visit.

Video footage of the fighting between the Georgetown University men's basketball team and the Bayi Rockets, the army's Chinese Basketball Association team, on Thursday night in Beijing spread on the Internet and worldwide TV news.

It showed players punching each other and throwing chairs, forcing play to end early.

"The Bayi team have really lost face now," wrote a user named anoia on China's popular microblog Sina Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter. "No matter who is right and who is wrong, you have fought the visiting team as the host ... especially while their second man in charge is in this country."

It was the latest instance of on-court fighting by China, whose players have been fined tens of thousands of dollars by the world and Asian federations for scrapping with opponents.

In October, China's national basketball coach, a manager and three players were suspended for an ugly brawl with Brazil's team that left one Chinese player in a neck brace. Fights are also not uncommon at Chinese football matches.

The video clip appears to show American players falling over Chinese players as they all run for the ball, and then two members from each side slamming into each other. Seconds later, the brawl breaks out.

Chinese fans weren't impressed.

"Does the Bayi team think they are better at Chinese kungfu than basketball and that is why they are desperate to show it off," said a Sina Weibo user named JF1113.

"I just don't get it that China is fighting other people all the time. And they lose the games too," said another user named QimaDdou.

Another, nego-lu, called players in China "poorly educated."

The Georgetown Hoyas are in China on a 10-day good will trip that has been cited by the U.S. State Department as an example of sports diplomacy that strengthens ties between the two countries' peoples.

Su Qun, a well-known basketball commentator in China, said in general brawls result from a feeling of unity between sports people when a member of their team is targeted.

"They have a belief that they have an obligation to offer help when their team members are under attack, especially in a situation where unfair judging exists in a match," he said. He did not indicate whether referees were unfair or the Chinese were the victims of bad calls during Thursday's game.

"It's not correct for players to fight. But we see fighting occasionally and it is often because of management problems in sports teams," he said. "It's important that teams have strict rules on discipline."

[Associated Press]

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