Chinese football coach apologizes for slapping referee during match

Liaoning Shenyang’s coach, Xin Duan, has issued an apology for his “irrational” behavior after slapping a referee during a second-tier match in the China League One on Sunday.

Videos circulating on social media showed Xin Duan confronting referee Chen Hao after a penalty kick was awarded against his team in the first half of a 4-0 defeat by Nanjing City.

As a result of his protests on the touchline, Xin was shown a red card, and in a moment of frustration, he struck the official.

Following the incident, reports in Chinese media revealed that Xin Duan fainted and was taken to the hospital. He later returned to the team hotel and personally apologized to the referee for his actions.

In response to the incident, Liaoning Shenyang released a statement on their official Weibo account, acknowledging Xin Duan’s irrational behavior and stating that it violated the disciplinary guidelines of the CFA League.

The club’s management, along with Xin Duan and the first-team staff, recognized the gravity of the mistake and promptly reached out to apologize to the match supervisor and the referee involved.

The Chinese Football Association has not yet provided an official comment on the matter.

Nanjing City currently holds the fourth position in the Chinese second-tier standings, while Liaoning Shenyang is placed 13th.