China send seven home after brawl
Seven members of China's Olympic team have been sent home following
a mass brawl that occurred during their friendly with QPR on
Wednesday. The game at Rangers' training ground was halted after a
fight during which China's Zheng Tao was knocked out and suffered
two cracks in his jaw.
QPR chairman Gianni Paladini has hinted that he could sack some of
the players involved in the fight. "When we find out what went
wrong, I will come down very strong," he said. A spokesman for the
Metropolitan Police told BBC Radio Five Live: "No arrests have been
made, but inquiries are continuing into the incident."
The Football Association has confirmed it is also investigating the
brawl, which is said to have included up to 30 people. Paladini
added: "We will conduct our own internal investigation into this
matter. We will go to work 24 hours a day to find out what
happened. "If people cannot control themselves they should not be
there, in that position, because sooner or later something like
that is going to happen again. "Therefore, it depends how much
provocation was in it, and when we find out what went wrong, myself
and [manager] John Gregory will act.
"I am sick about the whole thing, completely fed up. I hope we can
find something out by Saturday." Meanwhile, China coach Ratomir
Dujkovic admitted he missed the origins of the incident, but added:
"Whether the local guys (QPR) or our guys began it is not
important. It is unacceptable."
However, team manager Li Xiaoguang insists he will take full
responsibility for the incident. "I would like to make an official
apology," he said. "Whatever the reasons for the incident, as the
team manager, I will take the responsibility. "We have noticed some
of the young players can not control themselves well. But, although
the participants in this incident were the players, I will take all
the blame.
"The unexpected incident happened in any case and I will be
conducting a serious inquiry into it. We have learnt a lesson from
this incident." Premiership official Dermot Gallagher was
refereeing the match but was forced to bring an early end to
proceedings after the fight broke out.
An FA spokesman said: "We are investigating and we will be seeking
information from Dermot Gallagher." The unusual circumstances of
the game - it was not an official match and took place at QPR's
training ground - means it could be difficult for the FA to act.
The China squad are in England for two weeks, based at Chelsea's
training complex at Cobham, Surrey, as they prepare for next year's
Olympic Games in Beijing.
They are scheduled to play Brentford on 16 February.
