Before the eve of the knockout matches in the East Asia region of the 2024 AFC Champions League, Shandong Taishan Football Club abruptly announced its withdrawal from the competition, citing “player health issues” as the official reason. However, analysts believe that faced with potential political conflicts and public opinion storms, Shandong Taishan may have chosen to voluntarily withdraw from the competition due to political pressure to avoid further escalation of the situation.
The AFC Champions League is the highest-level club competition in Asia, with all participating teams giving their all. Shandong Taishan Football Club announced on the afternoon of February 19 that they were forfeiting their away AFC Champions League match against Ulsan Hyundai FC, citing “severe player health problems preventing the formation of a playing team,” sparking widespread speculation. This withdrawal not only resulted in Shandong Taishan missing the opportunity to advance to the round of 16 but also may face penalties from the AFC.
International media outlets such as Korean News Agency and Reuters generally believe that the real reason might be related to the political actions of Chinese fans in previous matches.
During the match against Gwangju FC from South Korea on February 11, some Chinese fans at Shandong Taishan’s home stadium displayed photos of former South Korean President Chun Doo-hwan, sparking strong dissatisfaction among Korean fans. Photos uploaded to Weibo showed at least two Shandong Taishan fans displaying images of Chun Doo-hwan during the match held in Jinan.
Chun Doo-hwan is seen as a dictator in South Korea due to his role in suppressing democratic protesters in the Gwangju Uprising of 1980, which is considered a symbol of the country’s democratic movement. The display of Chun Doo-hwan’s photos by Chinese fans during the match was viewed by Korean public opinion as a political provocation, leading Gwangju FC to formally lodge a protest with the AFC, requesting an investigation and disciplinary action against Shandong Taishan.
Many observers believe that the behavior of Chinese fans not only showed support for the team but also carried a political provocation.
Shandong Taishan issued a statement on February 14 expressing astonishment at the actions of individual fans, condemning their behavior and emphasizing that they had reported the situation to the public security department, with authorities taking immediate action against those involved. Shandong Taishan also decided to permanently ban the fans involved from attending Shandong Taishan’s home matches.
Subsequently, rumors circulated that Korean fans planned to display photos related to the Tiananmen Square protests as retaliation during the away match against Ulsan Hyundai FC on the 19th.
Shandong Taishan’s withdrawal could have a negative impact on the team’s reputation and future participation eligibility. While the official statement attributed the withdrawal to player health issues, there is widespread speculation that political factors may be involved.
Hong Kong media commentator Gao Tianyou’s article in The Standard pointed out that few teams would willingly abandon a game out of fear of protests from the opposing fans. However, with the unique political environment in China and its sensitive public opinion, the situation may be different. If, during the match between Shandong Taishan and Ulsan Hyundai, South Korean fans actually displayed photos related to the Tiananmen Square protests, broadcasted on television for the nation to see, the resulting political responsibility would likely be too much for a mere football team to bear. From this perspective, it’s not surprising that Taishan would rather reluctantly forfeit the game.
Former sports editor of People’s Daily, Wang Dazhao, believes that the fans’ actions should be condemned, but the impact of Shandong Taishan’s withdrawal should not be exaggerated.
A blogger under the pseudonym “Midfield Conspirator” stated that Shandong Taishan’s decision to forfeit the away AFC Champions League match against Ulsan Hyundai FC is seen as withdrawing from this season’s competition, with the actual reasons not necessarily aligning with Shandong’s provided explanation. They hinted at sensitive content behind the scenes that could lead to the article being censored if fully revealed.
According to the article, Shandong Taishan’s withdrawal incurs significant financial losses and potential additional penalties, which might irk the AFC.
“The last time the AFC was played by Chinese football was in May 2022 when the Chinese Football Association informed the AFC that China was unable to host the 2023 Asian Cup and relinquished hosting rights. With only about a year left until the start of the Asian Cup, the AFC had to urgently find a new host country, forcing them to hastily modify procedures.”
Chinese football has had its fair share of setbacks in Asia in recent years, often dropping the ball at crucial moments. On the other hand, almost every time Chinese football stirs up trouble, it’s people from West Asia who come to clean up the mess.