Shandong, Ulsan War Unexpected Political Issue? Questions arise even in the official announcement of health reasons
Feb 19, 2025
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Ulsan HD was supposed to play the final match against Shandong at 7 p.m. on the 19th at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium. Shocking news was reported just two hours before kickoff, when Chinese away fans showed up at the stadium after an official press conference the previous day. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced on its website that it will cancel the match between Shandong and Ulsan in accordance with Article 5, Paragraph 2 of the ACLE rules.
Shandong Taishan said in an official announcement that the reason for abstaining was because of the serious physical discomfort of the squad. 'As a result of the medical team's diagnosis, players cannot form a team to play against Ulsan HD. We deeply regret this and apologize to AFC, Ulsan HD football team, fans and the community.'"
The official reason for the cancellation of the match two hours before the unprecedented match was 'athletic health issues', but local media and fans in China expressed strong doubts. An Ulsan field official also said "The players reportedly requested the postponement of the game due to sudden health reasons, but there were no players who were sick or food poisoning in the middle of winter." raised the question.
China's Gupa newspaper reported that fans asked three questions in a row as it reported Shandong's withdrawal with a 'Breaking News'. "This news sparked a heated debate among the fansWhat is the situation of a influencer fan who "said " on social media? What about the away fans?I asked the question..." he reported. "Many fans also questioned why Shandong Taishan suddenly withdrew. 'Will I be fined for this withdrawal? Will I still be able to participate in the tournament after this withdrawal?He poured out questions, saying, ``. He added that `Some speculate that Shandong Taishan's fans may have something to do with the last match against Gwangju, where they put up handwritten posters.' Recently, Shandong sparked controversy over home fans' political issues toward away fans in the match against Gwangju at home. The Shandong club issued an apology statement saying 'The rude behavior of some spectators can never represent the Shandong Taishan Football Club and Taishan fans. We deeply regret and apologize for the damage caused to the Gwangju club and its fans.'"
The Gupa Shimbun then wrote 'Shandong Taishan was in an advantageous situation to advance to the tournament with just one point. Shandong Taishan's journey to the Asian Champions League for this season came to an abrupt end due to the cancellation of the match, the report said. Shandong Taishan advanced to the Asian Champions League 13 times in the club's history, recording seven group matches, three quarterfinals, one round of 16, one ban, and one abstention from the tournament', and also shared the dark history that in 2021, Shandong Taishan was banned from participating in the tournament because it failed to meet the AFC club participation regulations' guidelines for paying overdue fees'
Shandong Taishan is expected to face a series of sanctions, including a $50,000 fine from the AFC and disqualification from AFC club tournaments for more than one season, along with the cancellation of the game.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
