"Must Lose" Written in Red... Chinese Football Team Posts Talismans in Opponent's Locker Room

Chinese Football Association Disciplines Third-Tier Team for Posting Talismans
Imposes Fine of 570,000 KRW and Issues Public Criticism

A professional football team in China has been fined and disciplined for posting talismans in the opposing team's locker room before a match.

According to Yonhap News on July 4, citing China News Service and others, the Chinese Football League Association (CFL) announced on July 2 that it had imposed a fine of 30,000 yuan (approximately 570,000 KRW) and issued a public criticism against Changchun Xidu, a club in the third-tier professional football league.

It was reported that on June 28, prior to a home match, the Changchun Xidu team attached yellow paper talismans with curse phrases such as "Shandong Chongde Longhai will surely lose" on the wall of the visiting team's locker room. The CFL explained that, based on the match report, video evidence, and witness testimonies, it was determined that Xidu had placed multiple "feudal superstitious items" in the visiting team Longhai's lounge.

A curse talisman posted by the Changchun City Team in the opposing team's locker room. Screenshot from Weibo, Photo by Yonhap News.

The CFL criticized Xidu's actions as "superstitious behavior that undermines the spirit of sports," and imposed a fine as well as a public warning. According to the Global Times, news of this incident has led to widespread criticism of Xidu from Chinese netizens, especially as the team had recently been promoted to the third tier and was performing well. Local media also reported that teams who had previously visited Changchun Xidu's home stadium had discovered similar papers in the locker rooms. As a result, there is now speculation that the CFL may formalize regulations prohibiting superstitious acts in the future.

Chinese sports commentator Zhu Yi stated, "The success of a professional football team should come from the players' efforts, tactical planning, and teamwork, not from superstitious rituals," and criticized, "It is absurd for a team capable of earning respect through skill to rely on such foolish behavior."

Meanwhile, in the third-tier Chinese professional football league, known as the League Two, a total of 24 teams have been competing since March 22 and will continue until October 26. The participating teams are divided into regional groups such as North and South. As of early July, in the North group, Changchun Xidu?the team at the center of the talisman controversy?is in second place with 10 wins, 4 draws, and 4 losses from 17 matches, earning 33 points, just behind Wuxi Wugu, which has 34 points.