This archive report was first published on 8 June 2020.
On May 30, six Chinese under-19 international football players were caught leaving their team's Shanghai training base without permission, sparking a severe breach of COVID-19 prevention rules.
According to the Chinese Football Association (CFA), the players were banned from all matches organized by the CFA until November 30, 2020, and were also prohibited from featuring for the national team at any level during that time.
As a result of the breach, the players were forced to write self-criticism essays, with some having to do so twice. Under-19 head coach Cheng Yaodong explained that the team used 'harsh language' to address the players' mistakes and helped them recognize their errors.
Three of the players, Ren Lihao, Liu Zhurun, and Peng Hao, had their wages suspended by their club, Shanghai SIPG, the former Chinese Super League champions.
As a consequence of the breach, the U19 national team will play in China's third tier in the new season, which has been postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, to help their preparations for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
