Chinese ice hockey player banned for life for flagrant foul (updated)

Chinese ice hockey player Lang Bingyu has been banned from playing permanently for intentionally hurting an opponent with hockey stick, China's winter sports authority released the penalty decision on Wednesday.

   In the second stop of China's national ice hockey league in Harbin, capital city of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, Lang, a player of Qiqihar first elbowed the head and neck of Huang Peng, a player of Chengde, and then stabbed the left corner of Huang's mouth with the hockey stick, resulting in serious injury, including the fall of three teeth and 42 stitches in Huang's left cheek.

   Chinese winter sports center imposed the penalty decision for Lang and Lang's coach, who's blamed for not preventing his player in time.

   Lang is prohibited for life from taking part in any matches and training administered by China Ice Hockey Association.

   Lang's coach Liu Wen is disqualified from applying for national team coach for one year and disallowed to coach any match and take training associated with China Ice Hockey Association for one year until Nov. 25, 2016.

   "It's rare to impose such penalty for a player in Chinese ice hockey. This is one of the most severe penalty," said Wang Zhili, deputy director of China winter sports center.

   "But for such a flagrant injury incident, it just crossed the bottom line of our tolerance. You play a sport match, you should behave like a sportsman, but not a villain," added Wang.  Endi