The women's hockey match between China and Belgium took an unexpected turn, going from nail-biting to chaotic during a riveting semi-final showdown at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
A full-blown brawl erupted on the field in the final seconds of the match as the game tied at 1-1 in regulation time.
As the final whistle blew, Chinese player Fan Yunxia smashed the ball directly into Belgian player Delphine-Daphne Marien, sending her crumpling to the ground in pain and sparking outrage among the Belgian team.
Highlights
- A brawl erupted between China and Belgium during the 2024 Paris Olympics women's hockey semi-final.
- The altercation started after China's Fan Yunxia hit Belgian player Delphine-Daphne Marien with the ball after the final whistle.
- Two players received yellow cards from the umpire after the brawl subsided.
- China won the match 3-2 in a penalty shootout, securing a spot in the gold medal match against the Netherlands.
Chaos erupted during a women's hockey match between China and Belgium at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Thursday, August 8
Image credits: Eurosport / Twitter
Image credits: Eurosport / Twitter
Some Belgian players rushed to confront Fan, resulting in a heated altercation on the pitch.
"There is the final whistle, and oh, that's unnecessary from Fan," a Eurosport commentator said of the incident. "She's just hammered the ball and hit one of the Belgium players. Everyone is coming out onto the pitch."
"That was reckless and dangerous. I think it was frustration more than anything else. I'm sure she didn't mean to hit the player, but she's rifled it straight at her," the commentator continued.
Tensions boiled over after the final whistle when China's Fan Yunxia smashed the ball into Belgian player Delphine-Daphne Marien
Both Fan and Belgian player Judith Vandermeiren, who confronted the Chinese opponent on the field, received yellow cards from the umpire after the brawl simmered down.
Judith was visibly upset by the umpire’s decision and exclaimed, "I'm protecting my teammate. You cannot do that (yellow card me)."
A heated altercation ensued, with Belgian players angrily confronting Fan on the field
The match ended with China clinching a dramatic 3-2 victory in the penalty shootout, earning their spot in the gold medal match against the Netherlands.
Not everyone was happy with the outcome of the match, and some viewers said they believed Fan deserved a harsher punishment.
“The Chinese player took a look before hitting it. That was seriously foul play. It's a red card,” read one comment on social media.
Both Fan and Judith Vandermeiren received yellow cards from the umpire after the brawl simmered down
"Absolutely disgraceful from the Chinese hockey player and from the referee. Issuing a yellow card to the Belgian No.7 at all is mental, but issuing it first like this is shocking!” one person wrote on social media.
Another wrote, “If it's a yellow for a push fair enough. But how is it not a red for deliberately hitting another player after the final whistle? Straight as a roundabout.”
China secured their spot in the gold medal match with a 3-2 win in the penalty shootout against Belgium
Some went as far as saying China should have been disqualified.
“How is that not a red card battering the ball at someone is surely more serious than a little push. China had to be disqualified for this!” read another comment.