BEIJING (AP) – Members of the Georgetown University basketball program met with representatives of China’s Bayi Rockets on Friday in an effort to smooth over ill feelings following a nasty on-court brawl.
A brief statement from Georgetown said coach John Thompson III and two of the team’s players met in the morning following “heated exchanges” in Thursday night’s exhibition game.
Chinese Vice Foreign Minsiter Cui Tiankai said Bayi members went to Beijing airport to see off the Georgetown team and the sides exchanged souvenirs.
“My understanding is that it’s all cleared up,” Cui told reporters at a briefing on Vice President Joe Biden’s ongoing visit to China. “We’re pleased about this outcome.”
The teams play each other again on Sunday in Shanghai.
Chinese basketball fans slammed Bayi, which is owned by China’s military, for its part in the brawl in games intended to promote U.S.-China goodwill during Biden’s visit. Biden did not attend the game that ended in the brawl, but had watched a game on Wednesday.
Video footage showing players punching each other and throwing chairs spread swiftly on the Internet and worldwide TV news. The video clip appears to show American players falling over Chinese players as they all run for the ball, and then two members from each side slamming into each other. Seconds later, the brawl breaks out.
The Hoyas are in China on a 10-day goodwill trip that has been cited by the U.S. State Department as an example of sports diplomacy that strengthens ties between the two countries.
It was the latest instance of on-court fighting by China, whose players have been fined tens of thousands of dollars by the world and Asian federations for scrapping with opponents.
In October, China’s national basketball coach, a manager and three players were suspended for an ugly brawl with Brazil’s team that left one Chinese player in a neck brace. Fights are also not uncommon at Chinese soccer matches.
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Associated Press writer Louise Watt contributed to this story.
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