July 6 – The pain and anguish of a disputed penalty awarded deep into injury time were too much for fans and officials of China League One side Baoding Rongda. The match officials were attacked by fans and officials on Saturday, whilst a tearful Chairman told the press in a post-match interview the club would be withdrawn from the league.
Baoding Rongda (aka Baoding Yingli Yitong) were 2-1 against up Wuhan Zall seven minutes into injury time when referee Huang Ziang awarded a penalty against the home side. After the penalty was scored, Huang and his officials were confronted by players and staff, with fans throwing objects as a power cut hit the stadium.
The match officials had to be escorted off the pitch amidst scenes which are being investigated by police and the Chinese FA.
In the post-match conference, an emotional Baoding Rongda Chairman Meng Yongli, suddenly burst into tears as he told reporters he was pulling the club, which is currently bottom of the table, out of the League and professional football altogether.
This was followed on July 2 by a statement from the club’s board of directors, saying that considering the long-term development of the club, Meng had decided to resign as club chairman and director for “personal reasons.”
The next day the club issued a statement saying it would co-operate with the Chinese FA and would not be quitting the League and was willing to accept any punishment the Chinese FA saw fit to impose.
In the absence of VAR to reassure supporter and cool tempers, it was then over to the CFA to calm nerves with a statement in which they said: “We would like the club to express its opinion in a calm manner. In the meantime we call on the fans to remain rational and restrained.”
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