World Football

July 8 (Reuters) - China has suspended eight players from the national Under-18 women's league for their part in an mid-match brawl last week, the sport's governing body said.

Local media reported that more than 40 players were involved in a melee that broke out during the Beijing-Henan match in Wuhan last Thursday, but a Chinese Football Association (CFA) official said it only involved eight girls and was over quickly.

Five players were banned for one year and another three would be suspended until the end of 2008, a notice on the CFA Web site (www.fa.org.cn) said, without elaborating on the incident.