Shanghai Football Association Reports Shen Si Allegedly Hitting Young Players: Club Fined 20,000 Yuan, Banned from Registration for 6 Months

As of July 18th, Beijing time, following viral claims that former Chinese international Shen Si, aged 53, was involved in hitting and scolding adolescent trainees, the Shanghai FA announced that the parents of the affected player have contacted the police, and an inquiry is underway.

The municipal football association has implemented two disciplinary measures:Shanghai Lucky Star Club has been issued a warning, banned from registering new players for six months, and fined 20,000 RMB.

The Shanghai FA has also instructed Lucky Star Club to complete a shareholding restructuring within a set deadline,clarifying the boundaries between shareholders' property rights and football business operations, strictly prohibiting individuals banned from football from participating in any football-related activities in any capacity, and conducting a comprehensive self-inspection and rectification.

In its announcement, the Shanghai FA further noted thata retrospective review found that since 2013, Shen Si has not participated in any official activities under the supervision of the Shanghai FA.Shen Si may have served as an advisor at the Shanghai Lucky Star Club rather than as a full-time coach.

Recently, a video surfaced showing 53-year-old former international Shen Si slapping a young player during training; it is reported that the parents of the involved player have filed a police complaint.

According to the media outlet covering the incident, the young player was slapped more than twenty times by Shen Si over three days, resulting in facial bruising, which prompted the parents to report the matter to the police in anger.

As a veteran who made 39 appearances for the Chinese men's national team, contributing 3 goals and 4 assists, Shen Si was previously sentenced to six years in prison and fined 500,000 RMB for accepting bribes by a non-state functionary during the last anti-corruption and anti-gambling crackdown.

In 2013, the Chinese Football Association had already banned Shen Si from engaging in any football-related activities for life. However, despite this lifetime ban, he remains a partner of Shanghai Lucky Star Club, and over the years, he has been involved in youth training, nurturing young players for Chinese football.