BEIJING, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Beijing Guoan forward Zhang Yuning challenged the three-match ban the Chinese Football Association (CFA) slapped on him on Tuesday, saying it is an unacceptable taint.
The CFA announced the suspension ruling on Tuesday after Zhang received a red card and was consequently sent off in a Chinese Super League game against Zhejiang FC on August 16.
Zhang was penalized for his "violent act" -- elbowing an opposition player in the face, according to the CFA ruling, a verdict the Beijing player protested.
"I chose not to argue over the red card, knowing that it was irreversible even it was a wrong call," said Zhang, who now is in Dalian with the Chinese national team preparing for the FIFA World Cup qualifier against Japan on September 5.
"But the suspension ruling based on the supposed violent act on my part is an unacceptable taint for me. I felt obliged to clarify the issue," he said.
Zhang said it was his forearm, not his elbow, that contacted the opposition player's neck.
"My elbow then never touched the opposition player, and the so-called elbowing is completely non-existent," he said.
The Beijing striker said the opposition player, Sun Zhengao, was his teammate when he played with the Zhejiang side, with whom he has been getting along well for years.
"I had no motivation at all to deliberately harm him or use violence against him," he added. ■
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