A Chinese football club has been fined 30,000 yuan ($4,100) for attempting to channel evil spirits by placing paper talismans in the opponent team’s locker room.

Changchun Xidu FC, who play in China League Two, have been found guilty of placing “a number of feudal superstitious items in the away team’s dressing room” before their match on June 28, in a bid to increase their chances of winning. Photos widely shared on Chinese social media showed yellow paper charms inscribed with messages like: “By decree, Shanxi Chongde Ronghai must be defeated.” Known as ‘fu’, the use of paper charms is a Taoist practice believed to use spirit energy to bring good fortune, but it can also be abused to cause harm and misfortune to others.