Officials defend care of dead fighter

Tragedy puts spotlight on treatment, precautions for free combat athletes

BEIJING-Officials from China's sports authority said the death of domestic athlete Shangguan Pengfei was not a result of untimely treatment or defective management by the industry, during a press conference in Beijing on Wednesday.

Shangguan, who went into a coma after being knocked out by a blow to the back of his head during the semifinals of the national free combat championship held in Haikou, Hainan province, on Oct 31, died on Monday at the age of 23.