Fourteen Chinese basketball players have been fined for attacking players from Puerto Rico in an incident that sports authorities called a national disgrace.
Chinese state media called the on-court violence on July 29 during the six-nation Stankovic Cup in Beijing a "night of shame" and said it damaged China's reputation in advance of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Fighting erupted when two Chinese players rushed onto the court after a teammate was fouled hard by a Puerto Rican player. Fans threw cups and other objects, forcing Puerto Rican players to shield their heads with upturned chairs as they left the court. Referees cut short the game with one minute left, but China was awarded a 91-80 victory.
The two players who started the violence - captain Li Nan and center Mo Ke - were among four players fined nearly $2,500 each - a huge sum by Chinese standards. Two team administrators received similar penalties. The other fines ranged from $245 to $1,200.
Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.
