Meng Yongli, chairman of Baoding Rongda FC, questions the officiating of a soccer game in the nation's second-tier league which saw his club draw with the opponent as a result of a controversial penalty in the injury time, July 1, 2017. [Photo/VCG] The Chinese Football Association launched a probe on Sunday into allegations of match-fixing made by a second-tier club after a controversial penalty decision. In response to a claim by Meng Yongli, chairman of Baoding Rongda FC, that his club's 2-2 draw with Wuhan Zall on Saturday was manipulated in their opponent's favor, the CFA said it has called on the professional league council and the referees' committee to investigate, adding that it will severely punish anyone found involved in match-fixing. We will handle the case seriously and respect the club's concerns. But we urge the club and the fans to remain calm. The result of the investigation will be released in a timely manner, the CFA said in a statement on Sunday. In a post-match news conference, Meng questioned the officiating of the game, in particular a controversial decision by the referee to award Wuhan Zall a penalty during eight minutes of injury time, which resulted in the game ending in a draw. We can't afford for the game to be played like this any longer. If it continues, eventually no one will play, Meng said before bursting into tears, bringing the news conference to an abrupt end. He later assembled media on the stadium's pitch and announced the withdrawal of the club from the second-tier league in protest. We want to present a strong reminder to the governing body that we need a clean and transparent environment to play the game, he said later on Sina Weibo. People within the soccer world urged the club to hold back from making any rash decisions and to cooperate with the CFA probe. The penalty was a 50-50 call. There was contact between the two players. It was also scored in the third minute of stoppage time, so it is unreasonable to question the eight minutes of added time, said Zhao Zhen, a commentator with goalchina.net. Li Yi, a former China national team striker, said on Weibo: Controversial calls are part of the game. If the club quits the league, it is the players and fans of the team that will suffer. [email protected]custom wrist sweatbandsmake your own bracelet cheapmotivational wristbands for athletesrubber arm bands
About 80 percent of liver cancer patients in China would like to see a wider range of treatments included in the reimbursement lists of basic medical insurance programs, according to a survey of 300 family members of liver cancer patients nationwide.More than half of those surveyed said the patients are most in need of drugs that can effectively relieve pain and prolong life, according to the online survey, which was conducted by Life Times, a health newspaper in Beijing, in February and March.The results were published last month.Most of the patients covered by the survey were age 50 or older, and 55 percent said they were already in the late or terminal stages of liver cancer when they were diagnosed.More than half of the patients said they only sought medical advice after experiencing a period of physical discomfort, and only 10 percent were diagnosed during regular physical checkups.About 3 percent had been misdiagnosed once.Nearly 70 percent said they did not pay enough attention to warning signs and symptoms during the early stages of the disease.Nearly 60 percent of those surveyed said their lives had been disrupted by having a family member with liver cancer, and they were unable to obtain adequate rest.More than 40 percent of the relatives spent all of their time after work caring for the patient.More than 51 percent said they had experienced heavy financial pressure as a result of high treatment costs, while just 4.7 percent said they had experienced very little pressure.Wu Jianxiong, director of the hepatobiliary department at the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, said China has one of the highest incidences of liver cancer in the world, accounting for more than half of all new cases globally every year.A major reason for the increased incidence of the disease in China is the high number of patients with hepatitis B and C, which are both prone to develop into cancer.Liver cancer is difficult to detect in the early stages, which results in many patients missing the opportunity for effective treatment, he said.Wu suggested that people at higher risk, such as those with hepatitis B and other liver conditions, should have regular checkups.He added that good dietary habits and a healthy lifestyle can help to prevent the disease from developing.
