Chinese Man Dies After Pulling 11 Straight All-Nighters To Watch Euro 2012 Games

Chris Wright

25th, June 2012

8 Comments

By Chris Wright

“Hurry, give me the ball. Don’t you know people are dying here?”

We’re going back a couple of days here, but a 26-year old man from the Hunan province region of China has died after pulling 11, count ’em, eleven all-nighters on the trot in a bid to watch every single match at Euro 2012. That’s dedication.

Kick-off time for the games in China is around 2:45am, and Jiang Xiaoshan (a false name is being used to protect the family’s identity) had been staying up all night to watch the football at the local bar before going to work and working straight through till the evening – resting at home until game time, before doing it all again.

The local media have confirmed that Jiang was found dead by his mother when she tried to wake him for dinner last Tuesday evening. He had returned home at 5am that morning having watched Italy’s 2-0 win over Ireland.

His friends told the Sanxiang Metropolis newspaper: “We would rest occasionally but Jiang watched every day and would not miss a single match. He must have felt tired after staying night after night.”

Liu Zhiling, a doctor from the local People’s Hospital, told the Metropolis:

“Jiang was in good health. But staying up through the night and not sleeping enough weakened his immune system and he drank and smoked while watching the football, triggering his condition. If you use beer to replace water that is not good. Alcohol harms the body,”

Let that be a lesson to you all. Remember: For every pint of warm lager you imbibe, take two Pro Plus tablets – drinking a Yakult every hour on the hour to replenish those all important L. Casei Immunitas.

That’s how Pies’ has done it for years now, and we’re strong as reinforced corned beef.

Posted in Euro 2012, Hardmen

Share this article: Email

8 Comments

  1. Toz says:

    This news is a few days old already.

  2. Alex says:

    What a needless way to go. Rest in peace.

  3. jayjay says:

    @Toz….I don’t mind, I missed it! Cheers Pies!

  4. Ian says:

    Surely he was a bit of a lightweight? Eleven days on the lag, but he was at least getting a little bit of shut eye. With the lack of coverage over there he should’ve just sky+ it all and live his life one day behind!

    At least he died doing what he loved. Drinking, smoking, and watching football. I think that’s how I’m going to die too!

  5. bb says:

    @Ian:
    There is definitely NOT a lack of coverage in China. EVERY SINGLE GAME is broadcast, even simultaneous kick-offs have the television rights kicked down to subsidiary branches of China’s CCTV.

    There is also no TIVO or whatever sky+ is, sorry no idea…That said, they are daily replays at least twice sometimes more throughout the day, so you can literally watch games 8 to 10 hours a day if you so desired.

    China goes apeshit for these international tournaments, the reasons being are varied and actually a bit complex. The opening night of the Euro this year, my buddy’s bar here set new sales records, surpassing even the World Cup finals. For so many of these Chinese cubicle workers, it boils down to a mundane life’s brief window of excitement, a reason to go to the pub away from the wife till 5am with your mates, and for a lot-though not all- a reason to gamble haphazardly on random matches on a Tuesday night. I have had two separate encounters where my local Chinese friends couldn’t comprehend that I NEVER gamble on sports, yet stay awake till sunrise to watch the games, they couldn’t believe I did it out of a love for the sport (and a reason to stay out on the drink till 5am!)

  6. Dave says:

    @bb

    You don’t know what Sky+ is? Also please calm down.

  7. Lexx says:

    Cant pity Stupidity

  8. V says:

    Don’t calm down, bb, thank you for the input.

Leave a Reply to Alex