Is it really that big of a deal to be bad at a sport? America tends to suck at soccer too and we seem to do just fine.
That's the huge difference between normal countries and totalitarian powers with delusions of grandeur. If USA loses in some sport, doesn't get to organize olympics, or whatever, oh well, who cares.
In China however, the implication is that the CCP wanted to win this and failed, hence they got beaten, so it's humiliation for the leadership and it made them look weak, there have to be consequences.
Same goes for places like Russia, North Korea and Qatar. They *really* care about these world sport events that come with implied global approval beyond what normal governments care about them. It's also why they reach for bribery or doping so often - winning is not optional, losing is no less of a career ender to the people in charge of sport than getting caught. It's not fun and games for them, it's a matter of regime security.
In June, the North Korean soccer team dropped out of the World Cup without a point after conceding 12 goals in three games. Since the players returned home, they have been publicly shamed, according to reports. The manager has been forced to become a construction worker, and there are fears for his
www.newsweek.com