Bad girls of foot-brawl

[tracy123]

FINES have been issued and an investigation opened into the ugliest sporting incident in the world this week - and it involved an Australian team.

No, it wasn't England's Barmy Army getting stuck into Ricky Ponting. That's small beer by comparison.

The athletes embroiled in this one were all anonymous - they're the girls in the Australian under-19 women's soccer team, the Young Matildas.

You would struggle to nominate a more unlikely source of international aggro. Hands up those who knew there was any such team?

The girls had been in China for the Asian championships and lost 2-1 to the host in Wuhan on Monday, with a series of controversial refereeing decisions culminating in defender Jessica Seaman, 19, from Sydney, being sent off at full-time.

According to one report, tensions exploded when another Australian fell to the ground while arguing with the Chinese, with captain Tameka Butt then grabbing one of the opposition.

That sparked a brawl as the benches cleared and even backroom staff charged on to the pitch. Punches are alleged to have been thrown.

Then the crowd joined in, throwing bottles at the Australians as they left the field.

Nobody was hurt, but when the dust cleared, the Asian Football Confederation fined the team $4760 for "initiating a scuffle" and for throwing bottles at the spectators.

 

Seaman was fined $3000 and suspended for four matches for violent conduct.

The Chinese were handed a lesser fine for their involvement and for "failing to control spectators".

So the Australians have copped the bulk of the blame, but their angry coach Alen Stajic claimed the Chinese should be embarrassed.

 

Stajic told a Beijing newspaper that the hosts held up the game by faking dives and injuries - cheating, in other words.

Chinese soccer in general has a poor reputation for violence on and off the pitch.

 

Only two weeks ago, players attacked a referee in a men's inter-provincial tournament, resulting in a life ban for one.

Even under the fierce glare of the Olympic spotlight last year, they were in disgrace.

 

They finished a match against Belgium with nine men after one was sent off for kicking an opponent and another for an elbow to the stomach.

The FFA has declined to say much until it can get a better handle on what actually happened.

But they're certainly not impressed. As one source said, if this had been rugby league, no one would have taken any notice.

 

But it's not the image soccer wants out there, especially female soccer.

The team arrived back yesterday and the management will face the music next week. So will Seaman, whose problems aren't over yet.

Spokesman Bonita Mersiades has confirmed that there will be no appeal against the punishment, which is a statement in itself.

 

To make it worse, the teams are now out of contention for their World Cup.

Herald sun

[Guest mutikonka]

Having played football in China (amateur) and seen the player behaviour, I'm with the Matildas on this. Just unbelievable levels of cheating, and the players and spectators were just spoiling for a fight.