Club reportedly resumes recruiting trainees after 'fighting orphans' incident

The martial arts club at the center of the controversial 'fighting orphans' incident earlier this year has reportedly resumed recruiting trainees in cooperation with a sports school, according to guancha.cn.

This picture taken on June 2, 2017 shows boys fighting during a training session at the Enbo Fight Club in Chengdu. [File photo: VCG/AFP/ Fred Dufour]

A staff member from the Enbo Fight Club in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, said the club's trainees will receive the formal nine-year compulsory education at Aba Prefecture Sports School as well as mixed martial arts training at the club.

The club prompted controversy in July after a video showing the life of two 14-year-old orphans from Liangshan Prefecture. The two were adopted by the club's owner, En Bo, a retired special police officer, and were being trained to become fighters.

The dispute was centered on whether the club was using the orphans to make money in the name of charity or helping them to make a living.

This picture taken on June 2, 2017 shows boys fighting during a training session at the Enbo Fight Club in Chengdu. [File photo: VCG]

The club was sheltering some 150 orphans and left-behind children in July.

All of the children were sent back to their hometowns in August after investigations showed the club did not have a qualification to offer proper education.

However, many children were reluctant to leave as they could make a living at the club while it would be difficult for them to return to school after they had been away for years.

The public questioned whether the children should be sent back, with many calling for a better way to solve the problem than simply sending them back to school.

This picture taken on June 2, 2017 shows a mixed martial arts (MMA) training session at the Enbo Fight Club in Chengdu. [File photo: VCG]

En, who is happy with the cooperation with the sports school, said it is a good outcome as the children can choose the life they want.

The sports bureau of Aba, on the other hand, declined to comment on the issue.

It is still unknown whether the former trainees have returned to the club.