Column, Football

Why you should take headlines from China with a sack of salt

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The headlines from China that make their way into the sports sections of western media very often contain errors, falsehoods and sometimes just downright lies. Two rules of thumb: if it sounds too good to be true, it is; and be very, very careful with numbers. Here’s a selection of recent stories that have stretched the truth in various ways… 

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Ice Hockey

Hockey China Coach Digit Murphy on Team’s World Championship Prospects

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Last summer, the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL) announced that not one but two Chinese teams would join its ranks, based out of Shenzhen, but playing the majority of its games in North America, while also hosting games in China. The investment from the Kunlun Group, which also runs a men’s team in Russia’s KHL as well as other teams, meant that CWHL players were paid for the first time in their history. 

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Column, Football

Gov’t meddling in Chinese soccer, Pt 28: tattoo ban

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You may have heard by now about China’s ban on tattoos, first announced in January when “hip-hop elements” were deemed no longer suitable for TV, and now scrubbed from soccer, too (as detailed below). But though this forms part of a wider campaign, Chinese football has seen the government get involved all too often. 

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Ice Hockey

Interview: Zach Yuen, the face of Chinese ice hockey

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As part of a recent panel event at the Bookworm Festival in Beijing, I interviewed Zach Yuen, the first player of Chinese descent to be drafted by an NHL team (Winnipeg Jets, 2011) and current defenceman with the China-based Kunlun Red Star in the KHL. Though born and raised in Vancouver, Yuen could now qualify to play for China under IIHF rules and is one of a leading group of ethnically-Chinese foreigners who could represent China at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing. 

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General

The future direction of China’s sports policy

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Politics trumps everything in China, so when all the top leaders gather in Beijing for their annual meetings, it’s worth paying attention. Sports is not – it must be stressed – a top priority at the “Two Sessions” or Lianghui, but it does get a mention every now and then. Below are the relevant moments from the week’s major speeches, plus some attempts to read the tea leaves. 

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Football

Taxing debates blight Chinese football

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CSL clubs approached the transfer window cautiously due to the new 100% transfer tax for foreign players – and the lack of detail surrounding it. But clubs are continuing to look for loopholes and that, coupled with Wanda’s return to Chinese football, could spark a return to spending in the summer. 

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Column, Football, Motorsport

Xi to stay on, Wanda to get out, Tmall turns to F1 and more Milan misery

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Here’s a summary of what you can find in my weekly China Digest for SportBusiness:

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Column, Olympics

China leaves Pyeongchang on a high

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Here is this week’s China Sports column for SupChina, which was first published here.  

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Column, Football

FIFA nets yet another Chinese sponsor, while CFA provides much-needed transfer clarity

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Here’s a summary of what you can find in my weekly China Digest for SportBusiness:

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Sports business news and analysis in China and Asia