Shanghai Shenhua's Qin Sheng has been handed a six-month ban by the Chinese Football Association for stomping on Belgian international Axel Witsel during a Chinese Super League match - an action that had already earned him a hefty fine.

During the March 11 match, Qin was given a red card for stomping on the left foot of Tianjin Quanjian's Witsel as they waited for a corner to be taken.

Qin had already been suspended for three matches and his club fined him 300,000 yuan ($43,000) fine - a huge sum for many Chinese players who do not command the inflated salaries of foreign teammates.

But in a statement released on Friday, the football association said it had decided to increase the punishment by banning Qin from all CSL matches until Sept 11.

The CFA also handed him a further fine of 120,000 yuan ($17,500) for the "malicious" tackle which had "a huge and deplorable impact on society".

"The offending club must seriously strengthen the education of its players and officials, clean up morals on the ground, stop violations of the rules," said Wang Xiaoping, head of the CFA's disciplinary committee.

Shanghai Shenhua had also denounced Qin's "abominable" behavior and has threatened to drop him for the rest of his career if he does not mend his ways.

Shenhua supporters took to the internet on Saturday, swinging between bewilderment and anger.

"I haven't slept all night ... hang on Qin Sheng!" said one Weibo poster.

Commented another: "If you compare the punishment with the international situation or recent history, the executioner's axe was very heavy."

AFP