The World Cup hasn't even started yet and people in China are already sick of it — sort of.
Soccer fans are paying as much as $50 for a pack of paper that contains a hospital stamp and a "convincing diagnostic scrawl from a doctor" so they can use the time-tested sick leave excuse to watch the games. Feigning a cold might not be the silliest idea, since the games are scheduled to air between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. local thanks to the time difference.
Since selling forged doctor's notes is illegal, e-commerce sites are listing the pads under different names, like "proof of diagnosis note." A person told a Chinese media outlet that the hefty price is worth it because it's more fun to watch the game live.
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"Recordings of matches are meaningless, only live broadcasts are fun," he said. "If I stay up all night to watch the games, I will be so sleepy the next day and my boss will scold me."