The Chinese Football Professional League Union’s Disciplinary and Ethics Committee announced on May 7 that Zheng Zhi, head coach of Chinese Super League club Qingdao West Coast, has been suspended for six matches and fined 60,000 yuan for unsportsmanlike behavior and verbally abusing a match official.
According to the committee, the incident occurred during the ninth round of the CSL season on May 1, in a match between Shandong Taishan and Qingdao West Coast. Zheng was shown a red card and sent off after committing unsportsmanlike acts and directing abusive language at the referee. The disciplinary panel imposed the sanction in accordance with the league’s disciplinary and ethical code.
In a separate decision announced the same day, the committee also penalized Zhang Yuhu, a player from China League Two side Xiamen Feiyan, for violent conduct during the seventh round match on May 4 against Hangzhou Linping Qianyue. Zhang used excessive force in a tackle on opponent Qian Yuanfan, and after being sent off, he struck and shoved the referee, and damaged sponsor display materials while leaving the field. Additionally, Xiamen Feiyan assistant coach Lyu Hongliang was punished for unsportsmanlike behavior by entering the field to confront the referee, resulting in a red card. Zhang was suspended for seven months and fined 60,000 yuan, while Lyu received a six-match ban and a 30,000 yuan fine.
