Atkinson apparently told an audience in Sheffield last Wednesday that "the Chinese people have the best contraception in the world - but I can't understand why there's so many of them because their women are so ugly."

The remarks have drawn a heated response.

"This guy should really have never said this, he should be condemned and attacked," said veteran national striker Hao Haidong, who has been in contract negotiations with Sheffield Wednesday.

"I heard he is a habitual offender, but this kind of conduct, I think, really doesn't represent the majority, he is a special case.

"What this guy said really shows how unmodern he is, this kind of person should be beaten black and blue and made to thoroughly shut up," Hao told Titan Sports.

Injured Manchester City midfielder Sun Jihai also jumped into the fray, attributing Atkinson's comments to jealousy over China's rising global economic and political status.

"Different races of course have differences, but what does he mean by saying this? ... This guy is no good, does he think that only whites are special?," Sun told Titan Sports.

"This is like the insult to Desailly."

Atkinson was forced to resign from his role as ITV's football analyst in April last year after calling Chelsea defender Marcel Desailly a "f¥¥¥¥¥¥ lazy nigger".

The 65-year-old also lost his job as a pundit for the Guardian newspaper.

A spokesman for football's anti-racism campaign Kick It Out said: "This stuff is poisonous really. Essentially he really doesn't understand what he is doing in making these comments. They are deeply offensive.