Host kayakers disqualified after bloody brawl
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China Daily, October 24, 2011
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The Nanchang quartet competes during the men's 2,000-meter finals in the 7th Chinese City Games in Nanchang, East China's Jiangxi province, Oct 23, 2011. [Photo/Xinhua] |
A bloody paddle-waving brawl broke out after the men's kayak four final at the Chinese City Games on Sunday, putting an athlete in hospital.
A Guangzhou quartet intentionally rammed its boat to a Nanchang team which had once paddled in Guangzhou's lane during the 2,000-meter race. The Nanchang foursome fought back with paddles, cutting the face of Guangzhou kayaker Liao Zhensheng.
Liao's face was covered with blood when he was rushed to the hospital.
The referee disqualified the Nanchang team spearheaded by Ma Beilong. Another host team led by Li Kun took the gold medal in a time of 7:15.693.
Hangzhou finished runner-up in 7:16.678 with Deyang third in 7:22.078.
The ugly brawl is set to irk Chinese sports officials, who had warned against doping, age cheating and unsportsmanship behaviors in China's last games ahead of the 2012 Olympics.
Chinese sports chief Liu Peng said earlier that the threats of doping, ineligible athletes and unruly behaviors existed in the City Games.
Fifty-eight athletes over five sports including soccer, volleyball, boxing and wushu have been disqualified from the games for various offenses.
The Games' women's under-18 soccer tournament had seen a bench-clearing brawl between two rivaling teams.
Liu, also the Chinese Olympic head, has reiterated zero tolerance on doping and cheating, saying that the offenders will be punished without mercy.
Yuan Hong, deputy director of the anti-doping department of the City Games organizing committee, said 1,190 doping tests will be done for the games, a 10 percent up over last games.
"It will be the most tested City Games in history," Yuan added.
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