China Suspends US-Born Coach & Others Over Brawl
- Posted on October 16, 2010 at 6:29pm by
Scott Baker
- Print »
- Email »
BEIJING (AP) — China’s national coach Bob Donewald Jr., a manager and three players were suspended by the Chinese Basketball Association on Friday for an ugly on-court brawl with the Brazil team.
The association had earlier apologized for the melee that left Tuesday’s game unfinished and one Chinese player in a neck brace.
Video footage and photos of the fighting zoomed around the Internet and worldwide TV news, tarnishing China‘s sporting image before next month’s Asian Games in the southern city of Guangzhou.
Donewald, a former NBA assistant with the New Orleans Hornets and Cleveland Cavaliers, apologized at a news conference Friday and said players had been following his lead after he protested a foul call.
“The consequences of this event and the incident is severe,” Donewald said. “Not only was it against the spirit of competition, our actions were also not worthy of the adulation of our fans and the well wishes of the entire country.
“We have brought shame and disappointment to this team, to our fans and to this nation. So on behalf of the national team, I offer our sincere apologies to everyone who supports and cares about us.”
Donewald, the American who took charge of the China team six months ago, had been ejected for insulting officials shortly before the fighting started. He was suspended indefinitely, fined $7,500 and given a formal demerit.
Similar punishments were dealt to manager Zhang Xiong, who was fined $4,500, and players Ding Jinhui, Su Wei, and Zhu Fangyu, who were each fined $3,000.
The association on Wednesday said the team’s preparations for the Asian Games were put on hold to give players time to “deeply reflect.” All players also have been ordered to attend lessons on good sportsmanship.
Play became increasingly rough after Donewald was ejected in the opening minutes, then players started kicking and punching. The teams were separated, but China’s players then attacked their opponents as the Brazilians were heading to the locker room.
Brazil refused to return to the court or play a scheduled fourth game in their series and both teams flew back to Beijing from the central city of Xuchang.
The brawl Tuesday 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.
Star Chinese players Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets and Yi Jianlian of the Washington Wizards were not present at the game.
Comments (13)
Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In
Popular Stories
Does Misstated Marathon Claim Prove Paul Ryan Is Dishonest? (POLL) 670 Comments
‘Jumah at the DNC’ Speaker: ‘Muslims Visited America Prior to Columbus’ & ‘It Was a Muslim’ Who Guided Him to the ‘New World’ 527 Comments
Paper Details Obama Admin’s Alleged Secret Note Sent to Iran: If Israel Attacks, We Won’t Get Involved 388 Comments
Obama: RNC Like Watching ‘Black-and-White TV’ Because Romney ‘Did Not Offer a Single New Idea’ 366 Comments
Roseanne Barr: Most Billionaires ‘Violent Pedophiles’ & ‘Heartless’ Cocaine Addicts 327 Comments
Faith
This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 260 Comments- Pakistani Muslim Cleric Accused of Framing Disabled Christian Girl in Koran-Burning Case Read More
- ‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 267 Comments
Meet the Controversial German Imam Accused of Brutally Beating His Wife & Pushing Sharia Law Read More
‘Self-Proclaimed Messiah’ & Unification Church Leader the Rev. Sun Myung Moon Has Died — Here’s His Life Story Read More
Business
President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 124 Comments- Germany’s Upcoming Court Ruling Will be Huge for the EU Read More
Ford Looks to Beat Toyota for Best-Selling Car in 2012 With This Model 147 Comments
Bernanke & QE3: Here’s What You Need to Know Read More- ‘Extortion’: Why Did the Labor Department ‘Drop the Hammer’ on Oregon Farmers? 300 Comments
Technology
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 260 Comments
‘TaserDrone’: Hackers Weaponize Quadcopter With Actual ‘Shocking’ Technology Read More
Ever Heard of the Wild ‘Burning Man’ Festival in the Middle of the Nev. Desert? Here’s Your Primer Read More
Stanford Develops Technology ‘Better Than Steroids’ for Athlete Recovery Read More
Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
BoilitDown
Posted on October 17, 2010 at 6:04amSorry, I have no sympahy for those participating in the brawl. My kids and others in the neighborhood will testify to my position on this sort of thing. It doesn’t matter who started it, It doesn‘t matter who’s fault it was, if you were participating in the fight, you’re in trouble.
Report Post »YERMOM
Posted on October 17, 2010 at 10:40amreally, you teach your kids to take a beating?
my kid wouldnt play on your team then. He is allowed to defend himself.
Report Post »roughneck.seay
Posted on October 17, 2010 at 8:48pm@ yermom… Exactly, I tell my boy not to start any fights, just finish them. I think I would be more upset if he diden’t swing back. There is no shame in looseing a fight, the shame is in runnin’. Am I the only one that noticed that when we quit leting kids fight it out and deal with black eyes and bloody noses, they started shooting eachother insted. Now we have to burry them insted of puting them on the couch with a frozen bag of pees. It’s sad….
Report Post »ARCHON
Posted on October 17, 2010 at 1:40amthat’s funny, everybody wants to be Black.
Dan in P.A.
Posted on October 16, 2010 at 11:28pmHappens a lot in sports they better get use to it, China is no different than the rest of the world .
Report Post »Star Spangled
Posted on October 16, 2010 at 9:07pmHey Folks you’ll remember the voter fraud ACORN pulled off to get Obama in office ? Well ACORN’s still around and we need to be ready for them this time .
Report Post »Please check out this video , we have work to do !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTaQW4hLGWI&feature=player_embedded#!
Sledgehammer
Posted on October 16, 2010 at 8:54pmWho’d thunk it, Chinese invented poor sportsmenship, no! It’s just mass produced there! The U.S. coach should be kicked out!
Report Post »Tyrone
Posted on October 16, 2010 at 8:49pmWait a second. Isn’t this the country that runs over protesters with tanks. Now they suspend and fine coaches for fights. Wonder what happened to the tank driver?
Report Post »Robert W
Posted on October 16, 2010 at 8:13pmThat reminds me. Gotta git me some pork lo mein.
Report Post »snowleopard3200
Posted on October 16, 2010 at 8:03pmNice to know that European style sportsmanship is showing up in china now – make one mistake and you get fired, fined or in case of china – possible shot.
http://www.artinphoenix.com/gallery/grimm (mixed art)
Report Post »MAULEMALL
Posted on October 16, 2010 at 9:04pmTranslation….
The getto won’t be tollerated in civil society…
Report Post »drbage
Posted on October 16, 2010 at 10:55pmSorry, it already is tolerated and indeed condoned. All the sanctimonious statements by the NFL, NBA, NHL, NBA, etc are nothing more than jump and jive to divert everyone’s attention from the problems which are endemic in them all. Players are banned for life and the next year, they are back. They are caught on multiple occasions involved in altercations either sexual or ballistic and they are slapped on the wrist. There are thousands of young men and women participating in various sports that have pro leagues, but only a few hundred will be able to play professionally. Look at the examples that the pros and the leagues have been setting for quite a few years. This cancer has already begun to spread into the colleges. They have all developed that same sense of elitism that the “ruling class” in government has. It really is time to stop the madness.
Report Post »MAULEMALL
Posted on October 16, 2010 at 11:08pmIm sorry you misunderstood….China won’t allow our getto trash over there…
Report Post »