A law-practicing soccer fan has raised a suit against China’s national men’s football team at Chongwen district court. The team stands accused of “lackluster performances” and the accuser wants to see imposed a sentence of the team’s guarantee of a quarterfinal berth at the next World Cup.

“I thought of filing a lawsuit against the national team after watching a World Cup game between Brazil and North Korea on June 15,” Chen Fengfeng, a lawyer with the Yingji Law Office in Chengdu, Sichuan Province told the Global Times yesterday.

“I felt depressed and upset about Chinese football, especially after seeing North Korea earned respect by only conceding a 2-1 defeat to favorites Brazil,” said Chen who has been interested in team China since 1997.

The national squad was eliminated at the Asian preliminary stage when attempting to qualify for the World Cup in South Africa. Fans have also been heartbroken by the match fixing scandal in which Nan Yong and Yang Yimin, then vice presidents of the China Football Association (CFA), were arrested in March for allegedly taking bribes to manipulate leagues.

“It is a kind of breach of ‘contract’ for the team. They are obliged to bring excitement and joy to fans, but they never do,” sighed Chen.

However, staff at Chongwen District court seemed to know little about the case when the Global Times contacted them. “We haven’t received his application. I don’t know whether the case will be accepted until we examine the application,” said a staff member who requested anonymity yesterday.

The court will make a decision in seven days after receiving Chen’s complaint, according to the court.

“By no means will the court accept the case,” said Yang Ziyang a lawyer with the Beijing Long’an Law Office.

“The suit is legally groundless. The soccer fan and the team are not related, let alone under ‘contract’. It’s a personal venting of anger,” Yang said.

“I reckon the chance that the court hears the case is slim but I might sue the governing body CFA later,” Chen agreed.

Some suspect Chen’s motive for the suit is to draw public attention. But the lawyer claims he embraces criticism and he hopes that CFA and the team can be as open and tolerant of dissent as he is. The ultimate goal, Chen claims, is to promote Chinese football.