TWO BASKETBALL TEAMS from China and the US that brawled in the middle of a so-called ’friendly’ exhibition game have buried the hatchet, they say.
The match between Georgetown University and China’s Bayi Rockets in China on Thursday was attended by US Vice-President Joe Biden as part of his own goodwill visit to the country.
This was the scene as players punched each other and threw chairs as dignitaries looked on:
The two teams had been scheduled to play each other again Sunday in Shanghai, according to Georgetown’s original itinerary for the trip, but the school will be playing the Liaoning Dinosaurs instead. Georgetown said Friday that the schedule change was made before Thursday’s game and was unrelated to the brawl.
Chinese basketball fans slammed Bayi, which is owned by China’s military, for its part in the brawl that forced the cancellation of a match intended to promote US-China goodwill during Biden’s visit.
The Bayi team went to Beijing airport yesterday to reconcile with Georgetown players.
A brief statement from Georgetown said coach John Thompson III and two of the team’s players met with representatives of China’s Bayi Rockets following “heated exchanges” in Thursday night’s exhibition game.
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai said Bayi members went to Beijing airport to see off the Georgetown team and the sides exchanged souvenirs. cui said:
My understanding is that it’s all cleared up. We’re pleased about this outcome.
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 soccer 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.
The Georgetown Hoyas were in China on a 10-day goodwill trip that has been cited by the US 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 blame shouldn’t be aimed solely at the players. He said:
It’s not correct for players to fight. But we see fighting occasionally and it is often because of management problems in sports teams. It’s important that teams have strict rules on discipline.
- additional reporting by AP
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