12 November,2010 09:54 AM IST | | Agencies
Chinese goalkeeper Wang Dalei's notorious branding of football fans as "morons" and "dogs" has prompted calls for sportsmen to improve their behaviour.
Chinese Olympic Committee president Liu Peng said his country's athletes must learn a lesson from the incident and "behave" during the Asian Games that open later Friday.
Wang blasted Chinese fans as "morons" and "a bunch of dogs" after he was criticized for his role in China's 3-0 defeat to arch rivals Japan in their soccer opener.
He was suspended and dropped from the team which defeated Kyrgyzstan 2-1 in their second match which kept the hosts' hopes of making the last 16 alive.
Liu said Wang's actions were "ill-natured" and damaged not only his own reputation but also the image of Chinese soccer.
They also caused a "negative effect on society" and "hurt the feelings of Chinese fans and violated the regulations of the Chinese delegation."
"It is understandable to lose a soccer game," said Liu in remarks reported by the Xinhua news agency.
"It is unforgivable to have disgraceful acts such as swearing at soccer fans. The Chinese delegation never tolerate such actions."
Liu called for "moral education" for Chinese athletes.
"We should put more efforts in education about moral conduct, raise the moral standard of the Chinese athletes, make the Chinese athletes stronger and more civilized," he said.
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