sports

‘Yellow Fever’ Expat Soccer Team Forced to Change Name

Timely reports on issues and events from across China. Drawing on a vast range of sources, these succinct articles provide insights into the significance of each issue in a wider context.

NEWS

Other teams in the same soccer league have come out in support of the team, which has deleted its social media.

Yang Caini

Chinese Climbers Scale Everest, Tragedy and Daring Rescue Ensue

At least 11 international climbers have perished in their attempt to the top of the world so far in 2023.

Li Xin

The Father-Son Duo Winning Over China’s Marathon Scene

Translations, cross-publications, and collaborative projects from Sixth Tone’s external partners. 

SIXTH TONE ×

Inspired by marathoner Dick Hoyt, who ran together with his disabled son, a Chinese courier and his son have taken the running world by storm.

The Paper

China Slaps Basketball Teams with Massive Fines Following Match-Fixing Claims

Two of the country’s top basketball teams have been disqualified from this season’s competition following a scandalous final one-and-a-half minutes of their playoff decider.

Ye Zhanhang

Chinese Heavyweight Boxer Secures Historic Win

Zhang Zhilei is now set to challenge world heavyweight champion, Oleksandr Usyk.

Top Sports Official Removed in Soccer Corruption Crackdown

The government’s campaign to clean up corruption-tainted Chinese soccer is reaching the highest levels of sports governance.

Standing Tall: A Runner’s Unlikely Journey to the Top — of Trees

Articles that cut to the core of contemporary China. In-depth, informed, and carefully crafted, every piece is carried by the voices of the story’s participants.

FEATURES

A national tree climbing champion, Yu Yanling now runs her own company, organizes climbing competitions, and teaches the art to adults and children.

Li Pasha

Chinese Olympian Accused of Sharing Intimate Videos of Ex-Girlfriend

Former table tennis champion Zhang Jike is said to have sent private videos of his then celebrity partner. He denies the accusation.

Two Clubs Fold as Chinese Soccer Chaos Continues 

Eight Chinese soccer clubs have been prohibited from joining this year’s season due to unpaid wages or other financial irregularities.

Chinese Athletes Excel at Ski Mountaineering World Championships

Tibetan teenagers take three gold medals at the world championships just a few years after the sport was introduced to China.

As Global Marathons Beckon, China’s Runners Ready to Race Again

With travel restrictions lifted in China, amateur runners are rushing to register at overseas events. But for now, the coveted Pyongyang Marathon will have to wait.

China’s Soccer Woes Deepen as Naturalized Players Jump Ship

Before the pandemic, China’s soccer leagues were boosted by an influx of foreign-born players who naturalized as Chinese. Now, some of those stars are quietly renouncing their new nationalities.

Recovered From COVID, Young Chinese Are Now Gripped by Snow Fever

Although ski resorts are not as crowded as last year’s holiday season, they’re gradually witnessing a rebound.

Wu Peiyue

China Pays Tribute to Brazilian Soccer Legend Pelé 

Pelé was one of the greatest soccer players and the only player to win the World Cup three times.

Social Networks for Soccer in China are Diminishing, Fans Say

Serious soccer fans mourn the loss of the thriving online community they once had.

Kaiboluo Caijing

China Slaps Soccer Personnel With Lifetime Ban Over Match-Fixing

The Chinese Football Association levied penalties relating to a controversial game in another push to regulate the troubled soccer sector.

As the World Cup Nears Its Climax, Chinese Soccer Hits Rock Bottom

China has set a target of winning the men’s World Cup by 2050. But after a year of scandal, on-field failure, and financial crisis, that goal has never felt more distant.

Two Star Athletes Have Chosen to Represent China. Netizens Are Furious.

Champion speed skaters Liu Shaolin Sandor and Liu Shaoang have become the targets of unexpected vitriol after switching allegiances from Hungary to China — a sign of Chinese fans’ growing skepticism toward naturalized athletes.

How a Chain-Smoking Marathon Runner Sparked a Furor in China

Middle-aged runner Chen Bangxian became an internet sensation after finishing a marathon with a cigarette dangling from his mouth. The Chinese authorities are not amused.

The Teenagers Revitalizing China’s Sports Prospects

For decades, China’s sporting prowess has been built on a state-driven system that excels at drilling athletes in traditional Olympic disciplines. But a new generation of young stars is determined to break the mold.