The sudden no-show of Chinese side Shandong Taishan ahead of their crucial 2024/25 AFC Champions League Elite clash against South Korea’s Ulsan HD on Tuesday has sent shockwaves through Asian football. But what led to Shandong’s unexpected withdrawal from the competition?
Shandong made the decision to pull-out from the ACLE just hours before their final league phase match against Ulsan at the Ulsan Munsu Stadium on Wednesday. Their sudden no-show has sparked speculation that the decision may be linked to controversy from their previous match against another South Korean club, Gwangju FC.
In an official statement, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced that Shandong was “deemed to have withdrawn” from the tournament after the club confirmed they would not be attending the fixture.
Shandong provided no explanation for their withdrawal, and the AFC stated that the matter would be referred to the relevant committees for further review. The decision came despite Shandong sitting in a strong position in the group, having collected 10 points from their first seven matches. A draw against Ulsan would have secured their place in the last 16. With their withdrawal, fellow Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua has now advanced automatically to the knockout stage.
Shandong’s decision to pull out of the Ulsan match follows backlash from their previous game against Gwangju at the Jinan Olympic Sports Center in China on February 11th. During the match, some Shandong supporters displayed images of Chun Doo-hwan, the former South Korean president infamous for his authoritarian rule. Chun, widely reviled as the “Butcher of Gwangju,” is notorious for his brutal crackdown on a pro-democracy uprising in the city in 1980.
The incident sparked outrage in South Korea, prompting Shandong to issue an apology to Gwangju on February 14th. In a statement, the club said it was “deeply shocked by the unauthorized actions of certain individuals in the stands during that night’s match.”
Shandong confirmed that the offending fans have been permanently banned from attending matches and have been dealt with by law enforcement “in accordance with the law.” However, the club did not specify how many individuals were affected or provide details on the punishment.
“We sincerely apologize for the distress caused to Gwangju FC by the inappropriate actions of certain fans,” the club stated, adding that they would pursue legal action against those involved if the incident resulted in financial penalties for Shandong.
While no official connection has been made, the timing of Shandong’s withdrawal from the match against Ulsan—a match against another South Korean club and with the match being played in South Korea no less—has raised speculation that the club may have pulled out due to growing tensions following the Gwangju incident.
On the field, Shandong secured a 3-1 victory over Gwangju before their unexpected withdrawal from the competition. However, their abrupt exit leaves lingering questions about whether external pressures influenced their decision to forfeit their final league phase match.