In a chaotic day in the Chinese Super League (CSL) on Saturday, disgruntled Wuhan Three Towns fans directed their anger over their club’s possible relegation at the visiting team’s supporters’ bus, while the sudden death of a spectator sparked widespread debate about medical equipment at stadiums.
Off-field chaos erupted following a crucial relegation match between Wuhan and Tianjin Jinmen Tiger that ended in a 0-0 draw despite Wuhan having 28 shots.
Frustrated as their club remained deep in the relegation zone, a crowd of Wuhan supporters gathered outside the venue after the final whistle.
According to online videos, fans surrounded the Tianjin visiting supporters’ bus, chasing the moving vehicle, shouting abuse, spitting, throwing debris and blocking its exit.
In one instance, an individual made a corner-eye pulling gesture, a trope associated with anti-Asian discrimination, causing offence despite both sides being domestic fans.
Further incidents occurred inside and outside the venue. Video footage showed what is alleged to be a home venue staff member making an offensive middle-finger gesture towards the away stand.
Amid the hostility, an elderly supporter wearing a Wuhan jersey stepped forward to separate the crowd, helping the visitors’ bus depart safely.
Supporters tagged Wuhan municipal authorities, the CSL, and the Chinese Football Association (CFA) on social media, calling for an official response and stricter governance.
“Hooligan fans have been getting arrogant recently,” one fan commented, while another said: “Is no one going to step in and handle this?”
A sports blogger with 68,000 Weibo followers, operating under the account “Paidaxing Jinqiu La”, posted a video to raise awareness of the incident.
As one of the original creators who filmed the chaotic scenes outside the venue, she revealed her initial video had been reported and taken down for allegedly infringing on image rights.
“Even if you, as a Chinese person discriminating against another Chinese person, indeed possess image rights, I refuse to accept being accused of spreading rumours,” she emphasised in her video.
She stated that her footage clearly documented the man making anti-Asian racist gestures three times, including pinching, pulling, and tugging the corners of his eyes.
“Under international football standards, such actions severely insult our national image, trample on national dignity, and should be an egregious violation subject to zero tolerance by the league,” she said.
Calling on supporters from both cities to remain rational, she urged fans to settle rivalries through match performances and scores instead.
“Do not use the trauma of another city as a weapon to hurt your own compatriots, because these are painful memories that can never be forgotten,” she added. “Poking at each other’s wounds is completely meaningless.”
On Sunday, another CSL club, Chengdu Rongcheng, released a statement confirming that a spectator collapsed while entering the Chengdu Wuliangye Cultural and Sports Centre before kick-off against Shanghai Shenhua.
The club said on-site medical personnel and staff “immediately performed emergency rescue” before transferring the fan to a hospital, where the spectator died despite all resuscitation efforts.
“The club expresses deep grief and regret, and will fully assist the family with post-incident arrangements,” the statement read, while urging the public to respect the family and “not believe or spread rumours”.
Despite the appeal, the lack of detailed official information regarding the cause of collapse and rescue timeline fuelled online speculation.
“I don’t know if the venue was equipped with an AED [automated external defibrillators]; I couldn’t see one in the video,” one netizen wrote.
Certified first aid responders among supporters noted that venue medical staff cannot reach every stand in time and called for stadium first aid volunteer teams.
Netizens also urged large venues to equip sufficient AEDs and medical centres, pointing to outdated venue standards as a vulnerability in CSL public safety.
Reports suggest medical posts at Chinese stadiums are concentrated pitchside mostly, leaving crowded entry gates with fewer patrols.
Other users dismissed malicious rumours claiming the fan collapsed over match results.
Others attributed the incident to the weather, with temperatures reaching 32 degrees Celsius (89.6 degrees Fahrenheit) before kick-off. “It was extremely hot. People must prioritise their health before attending a match,” another online user commented. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
