Beaten reporter unhappy with Dalian official's apology

The Shanghai Shenhua Football Club will fully support a female Shanghai reporter who was beaten up by the Dalian Football Association secretary-general Guo Jun (pictured) on the weekend, the club reacted to the violence on its official website on Monday.

Shenhua's voice of advocacy came hours after the Dalian Football Association's official apology, saying that Guo would be suspended, while another staff member, identified only as Yu, had been deemed responsible for the incident and fired.

But the beaten reporter Tao Xingying expressed her refusal to accept the apology on her weibo account, insisting that the Dalian Football Association had downplayed the event in their written statement.

Tao, a reporter from Shanghai-based Xinmin Evening News, alleged she was attacked by Guo and another man from the association when she and other reporters interviewed Shenhua's acting coach, Jean-Florent Ikwange Ibenge, in the press area after Shanghai Shenhua beat Dalian Shide 1-0 in Dalian, Liaoning province, on Saturday.

Tao said she and other reporters were forced to leave while they interviewed the coach, and that she argued with Guo and the other staff member. She said Guo then grabbed her neck and cuffed and kicked her, and pulled her into a pool of water with the other man.

The Dalian side denied Tao was grabbed by the neck, and claimed she wasn't wearing her media card.

She said she would pursue the case with the Chinese Football Association (CFA) and All-China Journalists Association.

Guo told Xinhua News Agency he was scratched on the forehead and sent a photo of his injury to the agency.

CFA media officer Dong Hua told Xinhua the Chinese association is deeply concerned. The executive board has begun an investigation, with its findings to be announced in a few days.

Shanghai Shenhua team manager Guo Guanqi said Sunday that the team will do its part to see that Guo, the Dalian Football Association official, is adequately penalized for his unacceptable behavior.

"A couple of our players, including our goalkeeper, Wang Dalei, jumped in and pulled the reporter away," he was quoted as saying by the Global Times. "It's despicable that an official from the Dalian Football Association would do such a thing."

The Shanghai Shenhua team manager added that the team members are willing to testify, if it comes to that.

A screen grab taken from the official website of Shanghai Shenhua Football Club shows an official announcement on the Shanghai reporter. [Photo/titan24.com]