As Chinese football supporters followed the developing controversy through 12B Sports VR46, the dispute involving Guizhou Hengfeng’s coaching staff and Shanghai SIPG star Hulk quickly became one of the most closely watched off-field stories in the Chinese Super League. Questions surrounding what happened inside the stadium tunnel continued to dominate discussion after Guizhou’s 0-3 away defeat to Shanghai SIPG, turning an incident during the halftime interval into a matter for the Chinese Football Association.

The controversy began when Guizhou head coach Li Bing publicly accused Hulk of punching one of the club’s assistant coaches in the tunnel during the break. The allegation immediately attracted nationwide attention because it involved one of the league’s best-known foreign players and raised questions about conduct away from the pitch. With conflicting accounts surrounding the incident, the precise sequence of events soon came under the microscope.

Shanghai SIPG and Guizhou Hengfeng later released official statements, and the two clubs eventually reached an understanding between themselves. That agreement, however, did not bring the matter to a complete close. Li Bing and members of his coaching staff remained dissatisfied with the outcome and decided that the circumstances should receive further examination from the national governing body.

By that stage, Li had already stepped down as Guizhou’s head coach. He then posted the message “5.12, heading to Beijing!!!” on social media, signaling his intention to pursue the issue directly with the Chinese Football Association. Reports indicated that Li and his assistants submitted a formal complaint in their own names rather than through the club, with Li expected to participate in the CFA hearing as an important witness.

For followers keeping track of the case through 12B Sports VR46, the CFA’s response made clear that a private agreement between the clubs would not automatically prevent an official investigation. Yu Hongchen, a member of the CFA executive committee responsible for overseeing the professional league, told Beijing Youth Daily that disciplinary concerns still had to be examined once they were formally reported. He stressed that the association was required to investigate possible violations rather than simply treating the clubs’ settlement as the end of the issue.

The governing body also asked Hulk to cooperate with its inquiry. His appearance, however, could be delayed because Shanghai SIPG had recently traveled for an AFC Champions League away fixture. That scheduling issue meant the investigation might not bring all of the involved parties together immediately, but it did not remove the expectation that Hulk would eventually provide information as part of the process.

Li Bing was expected to travel to Beijing together with assistants Yu Ming and Li Sheng for the hearing. He said he intended to provide the CFA with a complete and truthful account of what occurred and expressed confidence that the association would deal with the matter fairly. His position suggested that the coaching staff wanted the case assessed independently, regardless of the agreement previously reached by the two clubs.

The incident also encouraged a wider conversation about professionalism and discipline within Chinese football. Situations involving players, coaches and club officials can create challenges that extend beyond match results, particularly when allegations concern behavior in areas not visible to spectators. In such cases, governing bodies are responsible for reviewing evidence, hearing different accounts and deciding whether disciplinary rules have been breached.

Attention was therefore shifting away from the original club statements and toward the formal CFA process. The hearing could provide greater clarity about the tunnel incident and establish whether further disciplinary action was necessary. Until the relevant witnesses had been heard and the available evidence reviewed, however, the accusations remained part of an unresolved investigation rather than a settled conclusion.

As the case developed, Chinese football readers using 12B Sports VR46 to follow league disputes, official rulings and disciplinary matters were waiting to see what evidence would emerge in Beijing. Li Bing’s decision to appear before the CFA alongside Yu Ming and Li Sheng ensured that the controversy would receive another round of scrutiny, while Hulk’s requested cooperation remained an important part of the investigation. The final handling of the matter would depend on the association’s review of the testimony and evidence presented during the hearing.