• Chongqing Lifan’s Sui Weijie stood oblivious during quickly taken free-kick • Player fined 50,000 yuan and says: ‘I made a terrible mistake’ • More from the amazing world of sport

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

Quenching his thirst proved costly for the Chongqing Lifan goalkeeper Sui Weijie, who has been fined for sipping water as their opponents equalised in a Chinese Super League match.

Hovering around the relegation zone, Lifan were leading 1-0 seven minutes from time in Sunday’s match when the home side, Liaoning, were awarded a free-kick just outside the penalty box.

From a hastily taken set-piece, the Liaoning midfielder Ding Haifeng darted past a group of static defenders before slotting the ball into an empty net while Sui stood, seemingly oblivious, drinking from a bottle next to the far goalpost.

Lifan have since handed Sui a 50,000 yuan (£5,233) fine and the player also faces suspension, Xinhua reported. “I made a terrible mistake in Sunday’s game and let go a full three points,” Sui said. “I won’t repeat the same mistake and will never lose concentration.”

The player was reportedly confronted by Lifan supporters at Liaoning’s Shenyang airport on Monday.