BEIJING: The Chinese Professional Football League fined first division side Chengdu Rongcheng FC $70,000 on Saturday after supporters hurled racist abuse at Ghanaian player Frank Acheampong.
Acheampong, 32, who plays for Henan FC, was the target of “abusive remarks” and “discriminatory behavior” by Chengdu Rongcheng fans during an away match on October 31, in the penultimate round of the season, the league said.
“The misconduct, captured on video and widely circulated on social media platforms, included ‘monkey-calls’ mocking the skin color of visiting Henan FC’s Ghanaian player Frank Acheampong and repeated middle-finger gestures,” according to The Global Times, a Chinese state-run newspaper.
The league’s disciplinary committee fined Chengdu Rongcheng 500,000 yuan ($70,000) and closed part of the stands for one match.
Acheampong has 23 international caps and played for Belgian club RSC Anderlecht between 2013 and 2017, according to the Transfermarkt website.
Two men, aged 37 and 41, were arrested shortly after the match and placed in administrative detention, which can last up to 20 days, according to Chengdu police.
They were also banned from entering any sports venue for 12 months to attend similar competitions.
Social media users denounced the insults directed at Acheampong.
“On behalf of the Chengdu fans, I apologize to you, I’m sorry, brother, congratulations on your victory, and I am also humiliated by the behavior of some of our Chengdu fans. I hope they will be punished as they deserve,” one user going by “aobilibili” wrote on the player’s Instagram page.
Under Chinese Football Association rules, any derogatory remarks or behavior by fans based on race, ethnicity, gender, language or religion can result in sanctions against the club.
Chinese club fined over fans’ racist abuse of Ghanaian footballer
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Chinese club fined over fans’ racist abuse of Ghanaian footballer
- Acheampong, 32, who plays for Henan FC, was the target of “abusive remarks” and “discriminatory behavior” by Chengdu Rongcheng fans
- The league’s disciplinary committee fined Chengdu Rongcheng $70,000
Sabalenka says Kyrgios match will not harm women’s tennis reputation
- Sabalenka will play the Australian, ranked 672 in the world, on December 28
- “I am not putting myself at any risk,” the 27-year-old Belarusian told the BBC
LONDON: World number one Aryna Sabalenka says she is not concerned that losing to Nick Kyrgios in this month’s ‘Battle of the Sexes’ exhibition could damage the reputation of women’s tennis.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka will play the Australian, ranked 672 in the world, on December 28.
“I am not putting myself at any risk,” the 27-year-old Belarusian told the BBC. “We’re there to have fun and bring great tennis. Whoever wins, wins.
“It’s so obvious that the man is biologically stronger than the woman, but it’s not about that. This event is only going to help bring women’s tennis to a higher level.”
Some have criticized the event which has echoes of the original 1973 Battle of the Sexes match in which women’s trailblazer Billie Jean King was challenged by 55-year-old former Grand Slam winner Bobby Riggs who claimed women’s tennis was far inferior to men’s.
King won the match in Houston with the contest attracting a reported 90 million television viewers.
Unlike Riggs, Kyrgios is still an active Tour player although he played only five professional matches in 2025 because of the injuries that have dogged his career.
“It’s not going to be an easy match for Nick,” Sabalenka said. “I’m going to be there competing and showing women are strong, powerful and good entertainment.
“He’s in a lose-lose situation. I’m in a win-win situation.”
Kyrgios, the former world number 13, said in September that women can’t return men’s serves and that he would beat Sabalenka without having to try 100 percent.
However, he said the match would increase respect between the men’s and women’s Tours.
“So I can’t do anything other than hope me and Aryna play our best tennis and, at the end of the day, whoever wins, that our handshake afterwards solidifies the union between males and females in the tennis world,” he said.
