Chinese authorities have banned footballers from getting tattoos and instructed national team players who have been inked to remove or cover them up to set a “good example for society”.

A growing number of high-profile Chinese players have been sporting tattoos, including international defender Zhang Linpeng, who has previously been told to cover up while appearing for both the national team and club side Guangzhou FC.

The General Administration of Sport of China (GAS) said in a statement headed, “Suggestions for strengthening the management of football players” that the Chinese Football Association would set out disciplinary requirements for national team players.

“National teams at all levels will strictly implement the relevant requirements of the management measures … (and) fully demonstrate the positive spirit of Chinese football players and set a good example for society,” it said.

It also said that for teams at Under 20 level and below the recruitment of players with tattoos was “strictly prohibited”.

The GAS added that national teams should organise “ideological and political education activities” that would “strengthen the patriotic education” of players.

Doing so would “enhance the sense of mission, responsibility and honour, and create a national team capable of conquering and fighting well and with excellent style of play”, it added.

China’s national team have failed to qualify for the World Cup finals since making their debut appearance in 2002 and look set to miss out on Qatar 2022.

-Reuters

Former Super Eagles’ hitman, Obafemi Martins who at his peak was nicknamed ‘Obagoal’ is among players in the Chinese Super League who passed the Covid-19 test.

The reports have it that all players in the country where coronavirus originated last December have tested negative for COVID-19 as the season prepares to kick off on Saturday.

The campaign will begin after a five-month delay from the scheduled start, state news agency Xinhua reported.

A total of 1,870 individuals from the tournament’s two hubs – Suzhou near Shanghai and Dalian in the northeast of China – have undergone medical checks.

None of them tested positive for the disease that has caused havoc around the world, the report said.

Players and officials from the 16 participating teams will be confined to their hotel and parts of the stadiums and tests will be conducted once a week during the tournament, it added.

The CSL was originally scheduled to start on February 22 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Teams will play a round robin with the top four qualifying for an eight-team ‘championship’ stage and the bottom four from each group going into a ‘relegation’ phase.

Loan fee may have been a big problem as Manchester United appeared to have failed in their bid to agree a new loan deal for striker Odion Ighalo. The original deal ended on Sunday.

The club had been locked in talks with Chinese Super League side Shanghai Shenhua – Ighalo’s parent club.

But United were unable to announce an extension before his current loan agreement expired on Sunday night. 

According to Daily Mail, Ighalo’s loan fee has been a problem for United and a new deal has not yet been agreed.

Ighalo’s agent, Atta Aneke, revealed the clubs had discussed a loan extension until the end of January 2021, when the 30-year-old would return to Shanghai. 

But no agreement had been made before Sunday’s deadline. 

Ighalo initially joined Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s United in a shock deadline-day move in January after the club had missed out on signing Norwegian star Erling Haaland to Borussia Dortmund.

But the former Watford forward has done himself no harm at Old Trafford by scoring four times in eight appearances prior to the suspension of the Premier League due to the coronavirus pandemic.

His memorable strikes so far in a United shirt have included a stunning volley in the Europa League win over LASK Linz as well as a double in the FA Cup against Derby to help his side through to the quarter-final stage.

Ighalo’s current contract in China expires in December 2022, but Shanghai reportedly want to keep him until at least December 2024.

Sky Sports have reported that Shanghai’s original stance was that they would only agree to a loan extension if an obligation to buy was inserted into any new deal, with Ighalo likely to cost upwards of £20million.

However, with border restrictions potentially preventing Ighalo from returning to China in time for the new season due to the pandemic, the same outlet reported that Shenhua appear to have softened their stance.

The outlet claimed that the Chinese Super Club will now allow him to extend his stay at Old Trafford on the condition he signs a new contract.