Three Chinese ice hockey players were banned for a year after footage surfaced online where they were seen beating their opponents from Hong Kong during the National Youth Games in Chengde, China on Wednesday, the South China Morning Post reported.
With one minute left for the game, Hong Kong were leading by 11-2 before their opponents Kunlun Red Star from Shenzhen, China launched an assault.
The footage, which has been doing the rounds on social media shows two Kunlun players beating up Hong Kong number 23 Jonathan Wong despite repeated requests from a woman outside the rink, who can be heard saying, “stop, stop.”
This is not hockeyfights.
— hockeyfights (@hockeyfights) August 1, 2019
This is buffoonery (China ice hockey youth team) assaulting beating up the team from Hong Kong with gloves on and from behind.
This is what happens when fighting isn’t allowed.
Video from @HeyBarber pic.twitter.com/bujfyGxHFG
Few other fights can be seen taking place in the background before intervention from some officials and match referees.
According to the report, none of the Hong Kong players suffered any major injuries.
Following the brawl, the Chinese Ice Hockey Association assured that such an incident would never be repeated again.
