AFC to investigate Guangzhou fans' 'British Dogs' banner in Hong Kong

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Chinese side Guangzhou Evergrande face an investigation after the club's fans unfurled a banner in an Asian Champions League match on Tuesday describing Hong Kong's independence movement as "poison" and carrying the words: "Annihilate British Dogs".





The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said it was looking into the incident, which occurred in the latter stages of Guangzhou's 6-0 win over Hong Kong champions Eastern.

"The AFC is waiting for the match commissioner's report and then the AFC will make a full assessment of the facts," a spokesperson for the confederation told Reuters.

The report is expected to be received by the continental body later on Wednesday, with a decision on any further action due to be taken over the coming days.

The banner, which stated: "Annihilate British Dogs, Extinguish Hong Kong Independence Poison", was displayed in the section where around 700 visiting Guangzhou fans were seated.

Tensions were high in the run-up to the game at Mongkok Stadium with additional security measures in place to ensure Guangzhou fans who bought tickets online could not be seated with supporters for the home team.

Hong Kong officials have been sensitive to any prospect of trouble at sporting events featuring Chinese teams since street protests ground parts of the city to a halt in late 2014.

Similar restrictions were put in place when China's national team played against Hong Kong in World Cup qualifying inNovember 2015.

The controversy arose on the same evening fans of Kawasaki Frontale angered supporters in South Korea by raising a Japanese wartime flag during their meeting with Suwon Bluewings in the continental club competition.

Officials travelling with the club confiscated the flag, used by the Imperial Japanese Army until the end of World War II, from two men while other supporters were escorted from the stadium, according to Kyodo News.

A Suwon Bluewings official told Reuters on Wednesday: "As soon as the game began, one of supporters from Kawasaki Frontale held up and spread a Japanese wartime flag, which he had hidden in his bag.  

"Security guards restrained him as soon as they spotted the flag. After the match, Suwon filed a complaint to the AFC since their regulations prohibit any actions supporting political issues or provocations that might cause controversy.

"Suwon presumes that the AFC would soon take measures regarding the issue."

With tensions in the region high in recent years, such displays at high-profile football matches are not uncommon and the AFC has been trying to clamp down on instances of political provocation.

Taiwan's football authorities were fined $5,000 (£3,894) by the AFC in June last year after fans displayed a banner calling for independence during an Asian Cup qualifying match with Cambodia in Kaohsiung.





(Reporting by Michael Church; Additional reporting by Yuna Park in Seoul; Editing by Peter Rutherford)


Share

3 min read

Published

Source: Reuters



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world