English Championship side Brentford has announced it will cancel
the training match arranged with the Chinese Olympic team for next
Tuesday as news of Wednesday's bloody rumble at Loftus Road spreads
around the world.
Sina.com reports the cancellation may force the Chinese team to
finish their training tour in Europe ahead of schedule.
The coaching group of the team delivered an apology after the
conflict with the English First Division side Queens Park Rangers.
Gao Lin, who became sufficiently enraged during the game to
exchange punches with the rivals, igniting a fight, has been
ordered to quit the team.
According to local hospital reports, Chinese player Zheng Tao
fractured his jaw in the brawl. The doctor confirmed that Zheng
will be able to return to the field after recovery but strongly
recommended him refraining from headers in the next few games.
The incident has been a headline in both domestic and foreign
media in the past two days. Global news agencies like Reuters, AFP
and CNN all covered the fight.
After local police launched an investigation into the case, the
English Football Association claims it has started to collect
related evidence, and that a final resolution to the case will be
worked out in the next few days.
Officials with the Chinese Football Association remain silent
over the incident, but insiders reveal that the country's football
watchdog will contact China's Embassy in Britain to help seek a
settlement.
Meanwhile, an internal investigation is said to be under way in
the Queens Park Rangers club.
(CRI February 10, 2007)