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Georgetown, Bayi attempt to make-up after brawl

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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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Associated Press writer Louise Watt contributed to this

story.

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