BEIJING - Chinese footballers need to eat beef and drink
milk if they are to play, and fight, with Westerners on a level
playing field, according to a member of the advisory body to
China's parliament. Last month's brawl between China's under-21
team and English club Queens Park Rangers proved that Chinese
athletes did not have enough brawn, according to Zhang Xinshi, a
biology researcher from the Chinese Academy of
Sciences.
'You can't just say you aren't used to eating beef and drinking
milk and leave it at that,' Zhang said during a discussion of
Chinese agriculture at this week's meeting of the advisory body
CPPCC. 'Our football can't reach a higher level. We are only good
at skilful sports. Running for two 45 minute halves on such a large
pitch at speeds like 100m, how can (our) bodies do that?
'We all saw the recent fight in England and they (the players) were
beaten to a pulp. 'Sounds tragic? But if you are as strong as a
buffalo how can they beat you up? Therefore I don't think we should
advocate the Chinese grain-eating tradition.'
Chinese defender Zheng Tao was taken to hospital with a fractured
jaw after the 30-man fight during an ill-tempered friendly at QPR's
training ground, which provoked a media storm in China.
QPR assistant manager Richard Hill was interviewed by police for
his part in the fracas but English media reported on Monday that no
charges would be brought against him.
