The 16th round of the Chinese Super League came to an end with controversial penalties.
In the match between Shanghai Seaport and Wuhan Sanzhen, referee Ma Ning showed three yellows and two reds in just four minutes of the first half. A confrontation between Karon and Wang Yi led to Karon's fall to the ground, and VAR confirmed that Wang Yi had committed a foul, but Oscar's penalty kick was parried, a decision that sparked controversy. In the first few minutes, the referee ignored a similar situation in the Shanghai Seaport penalty area.
Renhang defense suspected of elbowing opponents, Manning showed the second yellow card, but did not immediately red card penalty, suspected negligence Renhang already yellow card.
In the "relegation battle" between Nantong Zhiyun and Dalian People, Nantong Zhiyun player Romario passed the ball, Guihong broke the goal, the assistant referee first signaled offside.After the intervention of VAR, referee Mai Maitijiang ruled that the offside, but from the distant view, Guihong was not offside.
The Chinese Super League referee controversy this season, the first 15 rounds of the league, the referee was penalized for misjudgment. However, the club's right to complain was canceled, and the Football Association explained that it was contrary to the spirit of international soccer, and the penalty for misjudgment was not publicized.
Chinese referees have been subjected to repeated controversies for a variety of reasons: irregular professional schedules, insufficient mastery of VAR technology, affected game rhythms, and difficulty in judging intent.
Club officials and players fined for social media comments after removal of complaints mechanism. The FA needs to take steps to improve itself, not just punish referees. The English Premier League and the German Bundesliga are good examples of how public apologies and clear criteria for penalties can improve management.
The Chinese Super League management has taken measures, such as the post-match review between Nantong Zhiyun and Dalian People, admitting the misjudgment and apologizing, which reflects the willingness of the league administrators to improve.
The rising popularity of China's professional leagues should be cherished by managers, who should continue to improve their business and management skills and rebrand professional soccer with fairness and transparency.
