CHINA’S women’s hockey semi-final clash against Belgium at the Olympics descended into a brawl at full-time.
The fracas erupted after Chinese player Fan Yunxia smacked the ball at a rival player following the final whistle.
A Chinese hockey player smashed the ball into a Belgian player after the whistle at the Olympics
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China and Belgium were level at 1-1 at the end of normal time, sending the match to a penalty shootout.
However, there were chaotic scenes at full-time as Yunxia hit the ball at Belgium’s Delphine-Daphne Marien.
Marien fell to the floor in pain, prompting a scuffle on the pitch as her team-mates confronted Yunxia.
The crowd at the Stade Yves-du-Manoir responded by loudly booing Yunxia.
Meanwhile, Belgium’s Judith Vandermeiren shoved Yunxia during the scuffle, resulting in a yellow card and a 10-minute suspension.
Vandermeiren could also be heard defending her actions to the match officials.
She was picked up by the TV cameras arguing: “I’m protecting my team-mate. You cannot do that (yellow card me),” before shaking her head as she walked off.
Yunxia was also shown a yellow card, but fans on social media were stunned the punishment was not more severe.
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One viewer wrote: “Lucky not to be disqualified.”
Another added: “Ridiculous. Should be a red card surely?”
China went on to win the penalty shootout 3-2 after Marien’s final penalty was saved by Ye Jiao.
The world number eight ranked side will face the Netherlands in Saturday’s final as they look to win their first Olympic title.
Meanwhile, Belgium take on Argentina in the bronze medal match following their semi-final loss to the Netherlands.
Their match also saw a gruesome facial injury for Dutch player Joosje Burg after she was smacked in the face by the ball.
Burg was left bloodied as medics rushed over to help the stricken star, who continued after having her nose taped.
Nearly 15,000 residents – around 10,500 of which are athletes – will be cramming into the Olympic village between July 26 and August 11.
To ensure the athletes feel at home, a number of provisions have been made by organisers.
One of these is the stocking of some 300,000 condoms, in theory enough for around two every day during the run of the Games.
A number of Olympic athletes have opened the door on their steamy lives behind-the-scenes when in camp, including huge sex orgies and parties.
London 2012 had claimed the title of “the raunchiest Games ever”, but the 150,000 condoms ordered paled in comparison to the 450,000 ordered for the Rio Games four years later.
Condoms have been laid on by organisers at every game since Seoul 1988, when it they were used to spread awareness of HIV and AIDS.
Even with an intimacy ban at Tokyo 2020 due to Covid-19, some 150,000 johnnies were handed out.
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