‘Football is no place for religion,’ Chinese team is warned after conducting Taoist exorcism on the pitch – which inspired first win in months
Henan Jianye told off by Chinese Football Association after priests help ease relegation fears
The Chinese FA have told Super League side Henan Jianye to seek salvation from goals rather than the gods after Taoist priests performed an on-pitch ritual – and the team duly won at home for the first time in over three months.
The CFA are investigating after fans of the club invited 15 Taoist priests on to the pitch to pray for a good result in Sunday’s match with Shandong Luneng, which Henan went on to win 2-1.
Pictures of the ritual showing a desk on the pitch covered with a yellow cloth on the eve of the game circulated in Chinese media.
Incense and flags flutter behind the table bearing mantras including “God’s will is that Jianye must win.”
The CFA said that it had asked Henan, whose fears of relegation eased with the victory at their Zhengzhou Hanghai Stadium home, for an explanation.
“The football pitch is not a religious place and hosting such activities on a public sports field is neither appropriate nor conforming with the image of professional football,” the CFA said in a statement.