A Chinese Super League goalkeeper Sui Weijie has been fined 50,000 yuan (around $8,000) after conceding a goal to an opponent team while sipping on a water bottle.
The incident happened in a Super League match between visitor Chongqing Lifan and home team Liaoning on Sunday.
China's Xinhua news agency reported that Lifan were leading 1-0 when Liaoning was awarded a free kick just outside of the penalty box. Lifan were stunned when a Liaoning midfielder took free kick and scored a goal in an unguarded net as 32-year-old goalkeeper Sui drank from a water bottle next to the goal. The Chinese Super League match finally ended in a draw.
The referee was not in a sympathetic mood as he confirmed that the goal stood. Sui could not believe he conceded a goal, and it's surprising the referee confirmed the goal, CCTV reported.
"I made a terrible mistake in Sunday's game and let go a full three points," said Sui, who was full of remorse after the incident. "I won't repeat the same mistake and will never lose concentration," he said after the match, according to Xinhua.
Sui may be suspended from future soccer games, but the club's management hasn't decided yet. The mistake made many fans yell in anger. Some fans even scolded Sui at Shenyang airport when the team was going back to Chongqing from Shenyang, Liaoning Province, according to china.com.cn.
The goalkeeper's mistake not only cost the team a victory, but he also threw away about 1 million yuan ($125,000) as club management had promised a 1 million yuan bonus for a win since the team had been struggling in relegation zone, Xinhua reported.
After Sunday's embarrassing loss, Lifan is just above the drop zone in 14th place on 10 points after winning just two of their 11 matches so far, according to the Reuters.
