April 28 – As expected, China’s Guangzhou Evergrande have been charged by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) after the club’s fans unfurled a provocative banner in an Asian Champions League match describing Hong Kong’s independence movement as ‘poison’ and carrying the words: ‘Annihilate British Dogs’.
The charges relate to breaches of the ethics code and spectator misconduct.
The banner read: “Annihilate British dogs, extinguish HK independence poison”, and was unveiled during Guangzhou’s 6-0 Asian Champions League win over Hong Kong champions Eastern.
Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997 from Britain but still retains a high degree of autonomy. Tensions between the two countries remain and back in 2015, Hong Kong were fined by FIFA after fans booed the Chinese national anthem during a World Cup qualifier
Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale have also been charged by the AFC after fans displayed a wartime flag at their meeting with South Korea’s Suwon Bluewings.
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