Getty Images A volleyball complement which saw China’s national women’s team compete while wearing N95 masks has caused a stir upon Chinese social media.
Many netizens expressed their rage, suggesting that players’ health were being sacrificed for the sake of the country’s zero-Covid strategy.
The players later took their face masks off for the second set and went on to win.
China’s Volleyball Association later apologised, saying the decision was made has been due to a “lack associated with experience”.
But many remained critical, with 1 saying it was a good example of officials taking China’s mask mandate “too far”.
“Our leaders are… acquiring things too far – it’s as simple as that, ” 1 user wrote.
The big event took place on Thurs at the Asian Mug in the Philippines and saw the Chinese team go up towards Iran.
Photos from your match, showing the athletes with their masks on, quickly circulated on social media : triggering an unusual outpouring of critique online, with more than 16 million views around the topic on Weibo, China’s largest social media marketing platform.
One Weibo comment wrote: “Is health or performance more important? We need to consider some responsibility toward our athletes. ”
Another said: “How long will this so-called epidemic prevention farce continue? Do we want to become the rear end of all other countries’ jokes? ”
The fury on the internet prompted the Chinese Volleyball Association to reply on Thursday with a public apology.
In the statement on Weibo, it explained that will team organisers before the game had learnt of Covid- contaminated players in other groups and said a few symptoms had been documented among Chinese associates.
To prevent the spread, they required their players use masks upon entering the venue. But because they were not clear on whether gamers had to wear masks on court, the team kept all of them on during the 1st half, they said.
After losing the very first set, most players later took their own masks off during halftime – plus later won 3-1 against Iran.
“After realising that will playing with a mask is not good for the health of the players, the group reminded us on time [so] that our players became popular the masks plus finished the next online game, ” the organisers said.
The statement also made reference to the new “difficulties” experienced by Chinese teams competing abroad — whose members largely have not previously been exposed to Covid.
China is constantly on the employ some of the strictest Covid restrictions on the planet including an indoor plus outdoor mask require, severe, sudden lockdowns and closed edges.
However , this is not the first time athletes have put on masks during sports activities matches.
Earlier this year, the match between North america and the Russian Olympic Committee saw both sides wear face masks, due to “safety plus security concerns” over pending test outcomes.
They later eliminated their masks after it was reported that their tests acquired come back negative.
