Richard Hill, the Queens Park Rangers (QPR) assistant manger
will not face any charges for his role in the mass brawl between
his team and the Chinese Olympic team on February 7, the
Mirror reported.
The assistant manager has reportedly been released by local
police, will face no further questioning and is awaiting
reinstatement.
However, QPR chairman Gianni Paladini did not expect Hill to
return to the QPR fold so soon since he still awaits charges by the
England Football Association (FA).
Hill was arrested on suspension of causing actual bodily harm
(ABH) on a Chinese player during the two sides' fight, which saw
Chinese striker Zheng Tao receive broken jaw and captain Chen Tao
hospitalized with a fractured eye socket.
The brawl originally began after China's striker Gao Lin aimed a
flying kick at the head of a QPR player during the two sides'
friendly match, following a rough challenge.
English media rounded on the Chinese team following the
incident. The Olympic squad issued a full and unilateral apology
for the incident, seemingly taking full responsibility.
However, video of the affair showed that the QPR players
provoked the Chinese team with "dirty gestures" first and Hill was
snapped by a Chinese photographer as he punched a Chinese
player.
(Xinhua News Agency March 7, 2007)