Chinese club banned from AFC competitions for two years. What's behind the decision?

Recently, we reported that UEFA banned Montenegrin club Arsenal Tivat from its competitions for 10 years. That club was sanctioned for match-fixing, but the case of Chinese side Shandong Taishan is rooted in a rather unusual cause.

Details: The AFC Disciplinary Committee has suspended Shandong Taishan from all AFC tournaments for two seasons after the club failed to play their scheduled AFC Champions League match against South Korea's Ulsan in February this year. The team withdrew from the fixture just hours before kickoff, citing "severe physical discomfort" among players and an inability to field a squad.

As a result, in addition to their suspension, Shandong will be required to return their $600,000 entry fee and a $200,000 performance bonus, as well as pay $40,000 in compensation to Ulsan for "damage and losses" claimed by the South Korean club.

Recall: Shandong's decision to pull out came just days after the club barred fans from attending a home Champions League match against South Korea's Gwangju, following "inappropriate behavior" when supporters displayed images of South Korea's last military dictator, Chun Doo-hwan.