Guangzhou Evergrande and China captain Zheng Zhi was given a four-match ban and a fine of 40,000 RMB ($5,880) on Friday as the Chinese Football Association (CFA) continued its clampdown on ill-discipline in the Chinese Super League.
Zheng was handed the punishment after failing to lead his teammates into a postmatch handshake with match officials following a 4-3 defeat against Tianjin Quanjian that reduced Guangzhou's lead over Shanghai SIPG at the top of the league to a solitary point.
The 36-year-old had been given a 100,000 RMB ($14,710) fine by his club for the incident earlier in the week, while teammates Mei Fang, Feng Xiaoting, Paulinho, Ricardo Goulart, Wang Shangyuan, Zeng Cheng, Zou Zheng, Huang Bowen, Yu Hanchao and Zheng Long were all fined 10,000 RMB ($1,470) by the CFA.
"According to the referee and technical director's reports as well as footage of the incident and in addition to the club's written explanation, the captain of Guangzhou Evergrande, Zheng Zhi, has not fulfilled his duty to lead players ... to complete the hand-shaking ceremony," read a statement sent by the federation to Chinese Super League clubs.
Zheng's suspension was confirmed at the same time Beijing Guoan's Burak Yilmaz was also banned by the CFA, with the striker suspended for five games following an altercation during his side's 0-0 draw with Jiangsu Suning on Sunday. Yilmaz was also fined 25,000 RMB ($3,680).
The bans are the latest to be handed out by the federation as they take a heavy-handed approach to discipline.
SIPG midfielder Oscar was given an eight-game ban for instigating a melee in his team's recent draw against Guangzhou R&F, while teammates Hulk and Wu Lei as well as coach Andre Villas-Boas received two-game bans for showing public support for the former Chelsea man.
