China bans national soccer team players from getting tattoos

They surprise in world football. The General Administration of Sports of China published a series of guidelines on Tuesday to “strengthen the management of soccer players,” among which is the prohibition of members of the national team from getting new tattoos, the local media reported today. The Paper.

The guidelines aim to make footballers “Positive examples for society” and they recommend to those who already have tattoos that they erase them, in addition to prohibiting the U-20 and lower teams from summoning players with tattooed bodies.

The new orders from the authorities in China made the decision after feeling that it violates morality. It should be noted that it is not the first time that tattoos have caused controversy in Chinese football. In 2018, many players had to cover their tattoos with bandages at the China Cup.

Chinese footballer tattoos erased

In official photographs of the components of the Chinese team, tattoos such as those worn on the arms by Chinese players such as Zhang Xizhe or Zhang Linpeng have been erased with image retouching programs on some occasions.

China out of the Qatar 2022 World Cup

The Chinese soccer team reaped a new failure this year, having virtually no chance of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, in a poor performance that led to the resignation of their coach, Li Tie.

China has not qualified for a World Cup since the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan, for which it did not have to face local powers South Korea and Japan as they were already classified as hosts.