Chinese Super League referees sent to women’s league after criticism

Former ‘golden whistle’ Zhang Lei among four officials sent to Kunming after State media criticism this season

Beijing Guoan’s loss to Shanghai SIPG on Friday provided more controversy over CSL officiating

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Referee Zhang Lei warns Beijing Guoan players in their Chinese Super League match against Shanghai SIPG. Photos: Xinhua

Published: 2:45pm, 27 Sep 2020Updated: 2:45pm, 27 Sep 2020

Four Chinese Super League match officials have reportedly been moved to the Chinese Women’s Super League following outcry at decisions made in the men’s league this season.

State media decried the standard of refereeing this season, which has not featured foreign officials as in previous campaigns, while several clubs have complained to the Chinese Football Association over specific decisions.

The “Our women‘s football” Weibo account announced that four CSL match officials have been sent to the Chinese Women’s Super League, which is kicking off the second stage of its own coronavirus-altered campaign in Kunming.

“Four male referees who just finished the 13th round of the Chinese Super League last night – Fu Ming, Zhang Lei, Shi Zhenlu and Ma Li – have arrived at the Kunming Haigeng base today to report and will participate in the second stage of the law enforcement 2020,” it wrote on Saturday.

Zhang, the 2018 “golden whistle” award winner for the CSL’s best referee, created further controversy for his decisions in the Beijing Guoan and Shanghai SIPG match on Friday.