Chinese football: video shows Ghana ace’s punch flooring opponent as both players are banned amid racism claim
- Chinese Super League slaps Shenzhen winger Frank Acheampong with four-match ban and fine for hitting opponent Gu Cao of Henan
- Gu banned for two matches and fined ‘for provoking Acheampong with insults’ after Acheampong accused him of racist comments during Chinese Super League clash
Shenzhen FC forward Frank Acheampong has been fined and slapped with a four-match ban after punching an opponent he accused of aiming racist insults at him during a Chinese Super League match.
Video footage captured during Shenzhen’s 3-1 loss at Henan last Friday showed the Ghana international’s rush of blood, as an incandescent Acheampong dashed towards Henan’s Gu Cao and landed a punch that sent the home player tumbling to the floor.
Acheampong, 29, who has been capped 23 times by his country, had never previously been sent off in a professional career featuring more than 350 matches.
The Chinese Football Association (CFA) fined Acheampong 40,000 yuan (US$5,580 ), on top of handing him the four-game suspension.
Gu, a 35-year-old centre-back who is in his 16th season with Henan, was punished by the CFA “for provoking Acheampong with insults” and banned for two matches, in addition to being given a fine of 20,000 yuan.
Formerly with Anderlecht in Belgium, Acheampong reportedly rejected English Premier League interest in 2017 to join Tianjin Teda. He moved to Shenzhen in April 2021 and has since scored 18 goals in 63 CSL appearances for the club.
“I have suffered racist insults and I could not hold back,” Acheampong was quoted as saying by media in his homeland.
“I have been in China for the past five years, and I love this country because China and the Chinese people are great.
“However, it is unacceptable for any human to be subjected to racist insults, let alone in the game of football. I am normally a calm and level-headed person, but no one should accept any racist slurs or insults.”
