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BEIJING (AP) — The Chinese team that got into a nasty brawl with
Georgetown University players in an exhibition game went to the
Beijing airport Friday to reconcile and see off their departing
rivals ahead of a rematch Sunday in Shanghai.
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A brief statement from Georgetown said head coach John Thompson III
and two of the team’s players met with representatives of China’s
Bayi Rockets following “heated exchanges” in Thursday night’s
exhibition game.
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Chinese Vice Foreign Minsiter Cui Tiankai said Bayi members went to
Beijing airport to see off the Georgetown team and the sides
exchanged souvenirs.
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“My understanding is that it’s all cleared up,” Cui told reporters
at a briefing on Vice President Joe Biden’s ongoing visit to China.
“We’re pleased about this outcome.”
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The two teams play each other again on Sunday in
Shanghai.
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Chinese basketball fans slammed Bayi, which is owned by China’s
military, for its part in the brawl that forced the cancelation of
a match intended to promote U.S.-China goodwill during Biden’s
visit.
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Video footage showing players punching each other and throwing
chairs spread swiftly on the Internet and worldwide TV
news.
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“The Bayi team have really lost face now,” wrote a user named anoia
on China’s popular microblog Sina Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of
Twitter. “No matter who is right and who is wrong, you have fought
the visiting team as the host … especially while their second man
in charge is in this country.”
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It 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.
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In October, China’s national basketball coach, a manager and three
players were suspended for an ugly brawl with Brazil’s team that
left one Chinese player in a neck brace. Fights are also not
uncommon at Chinese football matches.
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The video clip appears to show American players falling over
Chinese players as they all run for the ball, and then two members
from each side slamming into each other. Seconds later, the brawl
breaks out.
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Chinese fans weren’t impressed.
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“Does the Bayi team think they are better at Chinese kungfu than
basketball and that is why they are desperate to show it off,” said
a Sina Weibo user named JF1113.
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“I just don’t get it that China is fighting other people all the
time. And they lose the games too,” said another user named
QimaDdou.
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Another, nego-lu, called players in China “poorly
educated.”
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The Georgetown Hoyas are in China on a 10-day goodwill trip that
has been cited by the U.S. State Department as an example of sports
diplomacy that strengthens ties between the two countries’
peoples.
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Su Qun, a well-known basketball commentator in China, said blame
shouldn’t be aimed solely at the players.
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“It’s not correct for players to fight. But we see fighting
occasionally and it is often because of management problems in
sports teams,” he said. “It’s important that teams have strict
rules on discipline.”
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Several NBA players have been considering China as a destination in
the event the U.S. season was canceled due to a labor
dispute.
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However, the Chinese Basketball Association poured cold water on
those ambitions Friday, saying it would not accept contracted NBA
players, and would require any free agents coming to the Chinese
league to play for the full season.
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—
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Associated Press writer Louise Watt contributed to this
story.
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