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__The Chinese football world has just experienced an unprecedented earthquake, and the epicenter is the green field that has haunted countless fans.
Just yesterday, the Chinese Football Association was like a referee holding Thor's hammer, smashing into the long-standing cancer of match-fixing and gambling.
The hammer went down to permanently expel 43 players from football, and another 17 were grounded for five years.
This purge is as violent as Italy used to be"
The aftershocks of the "Phonegate" incident have plunged the entire Chinese football circle into shock and contemplation.
Let's rewind the clock to that sweltering night a few days ago.
In the East Asian Cup, the Chinese players were sweating and panting, but they still could not stop the Japan team's tidal attack.
The numbers on the scoreboard are like a magic spell, beating one after the other, and finally freeze at the heart-wrenching 0:7.
The fans in the stands were dumbfounded, as if they had witnessed a nightmare.
This fiasco not only set the record for the largest score defeat of the Chinese team against the Japan team, but also was like a hammer that smashed into the hearts of every Chinese fan.
The whistle blew at the end of the game, and the players walked off the pitch dejectedly, the faces of the coaching staff full of frustration and disappointment.
At the post-match press conference, head coach Jankovic's voice was low and hoarse: "We tried our best, but the gap does exist.
We need time, we need patience.
"The patience of the fans seems to have run out.
On social media, the topic of "disbandment of the national football team" rushed to the hot search for a while, and countless netizens vented their disappointment and anger.
Just as the emotions of the fans had not calmed down, an even bigger bomb exploded a few days later.
On September 10, the Chinese Football Association held a press conference on the rectification of "fake gambling black" in the 2024 professional league.
When the penalty list was announced, the entire football community was in shock.
43 players, including Kim Kyung-do, Sun Junhao, Guo Tianyu and Gu Chao, were banned for life, and 17 players, including 40-year-old veteran Wang Song, were banned for five years.
Every name on this list has been a familiar face to fans, and some have even been international players and club captains.
Imagine how Kim Kyung-do felt when he heard the news.
The core of the midfield, who once called for the wind and rain in the Taishan team, once conquered countless fans with his never-ending running.
He may be sitting on the couch at home when his phone suddenly vibrates, and when he opens it, his career comes to an abrupt end.
He may remember the excitement he felt when he first stepped onto the professional stage, the excitement when he scored for his country, or the fluke when he made that wrong decision.
But now, all this is a thing of the past, and his future is no longer hopeful on the football field.
Meanwhile, in another city, young Guo Tianyu may be sweating on the training ground.
The coach's whistle blew, and he stopped to see his teammates all gathered around and talking.
He walked over and saw the message on his teammate's phone that had caused him to go into cardiac arrest.
His legs seemed to be filled with lead, and he could no longer run on the court as usual.
His dreams, his future, were shattered at this moment.
"I really didn't expect this to happen.
An unnamed football insider said in an interview, "The severity and scope of this punishment are unprecedented in the history of Chinese football."
This is not just a punishment for these players, but a purge of the entire football environment.
”
Indeed, this penalty affects far beyond these players personally.
It was like a resounding slap in the face of Chinese football, and at the same time woke up many people.
Some fans lamented on social media: "It turns out that we have been watching match-fixing, no wonder we always feel that the result of the game is weird."
Another person said: "No wonder the national football team always loses, it turns out that the problem is here."
”
In addition to the shock and anger, we also need to calm down and think: Why is this happening? Why do so many good players take risks? The answer may not be simple.
Some say it's the lure of money.
In the world of professional football, money is like a double-edged sword.
It motivates players to work harder, but it can also be a poison that corrupts them.
When some players find that they can easily earn much more money than their normal pay by manipulating the results of a match, they may face a huge temptation.
It has also been argued that this is a reflection of the problems of the football environment as a whole.
For a long time, there have been all kinds of chaos in Chinese football.
From the imperfection of the youth training system, to the loopholes in the league management, to the lack of governance ability of the Football Association, these have provided soil for the breeding of problems such as match-fixing and gambling.
On a deeper level, this may also involve the question of the values of society as a whole.
In an environment where there is an overemphasis on results, some people may be unscrupulous in their pursuit of victory and profit, ignoring sportsmanship and work ethic.
In the face of such a complex problem, it is clear that punishment alone is not enough.
What we need is comprehensive reform.
It is necessary to improve the youth training system and cultivate players with professional ethics from the source.
It is necessary to optimize the league management mechanism and plug the loopholes that may be exploited.
Thirdly, it is necessary to strengthen the professional ethics education of players, so that they understand that professional ethics is more important than any money and fame.
At the same time, we can also learn from the successful experience of the world.
For example, Italy successfully rebuilt the credibility of the league through a series of drastic measures and institutional reforms after the "phonegate" incident.
After experiencing a similar gambling scandal, Korea has also adopted various measures including a lifetime ban and criminal penalties to curb this behavior.
These can be our references.
Of course, the road to reform is destined to be difficult.
As one veteran football commentator put it: "This penalty is just the beginning, the real challenge is yet to come."
What we need is not only to punish the 'black sheep', but more importantly to build a healthy, fair and transparent football environment.
It takes the effort of everyone, the players, the coaches, the clubs, the Football Association and even every fan.
”
In the midst of this storm, we have also seen a glimmer of hope.
Many young players have taken to social media to take this as a warning and stick to their professional ethics.
Some clubs have also announced that they will strengthen internal management to prevent similar incidents from occurring.
What's more, more and more fans are beginning to pay attention to football reform and actively offer suggestions.
These are all positive signs, showing that Chinese football still has the ability to repair itself.
Back to the heart-wrenching 0:7 at the beginning.
Perhaps, we can look at this defeat from a different angle.
It is not the end, but a new beginning.
Just like the phoenix nirvana, sometimes it takes painful suffering to be reborn.
This large-scale punishment may be the beginning of the rebirth of Chinese football.
Finally, let's ask ourselves: what can we, as fans, do for the future of Chinese football? Perhaps, we can look at the results of the game more rationally and give more understanding and support to the players.
Perhaps, we can participate more actively in the discussion of football reform and contribute our wisdom.
Perhaps, we can start with ourselves and promote true sportsmanship and set an example for the next generation.
The future of Chinese football is not only in the hands of those athletes running on the field, but also in the hands of each of us.
Let us work together for a better tomorrow for Chinese football.
After all, football is more than just a sport, it carries the dreams and loves of too many people.
I believe that one day, we will see a Chinese team that is truly proud of the Chinese people, holding its head high on the stage of the World Cup and chasing its dreams.
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