Top Chinese gymnast found begging on the street

Top Chinese gymnast found begging on the street

www.independent.ie

gymnastics academy at the age of five. After seven years of gruelling training, he showed enough promise to be selected to China's national team and in 2001 he was entered by officials into the World University Games, despite not having an education outside his sport.
His gold medal-winning performance was the highlight of his career, and he seemed certain to make the cut for the 2004 Athens Olympics until he broke his left Achilles tendon in training in 2002.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Seems like a through back to the disposable heroes of the Soviet age. Still though it's great to see more and more Chinese breaking the silence and revealing what's going on to the rest of the world.

This is a really heart breaking look at what happens to you in China if you fail to meet the cut. In Europe or the states he would have had a nice pension, a training role or something. Instead this poor guy was cast out without a thought.

www.independent.ie
(visit the link for the full news article)

Something we need to remember..... life has always been cheap in China.

What exactly would have happened to someone in the same situation in the USA, or elsewhere in the West? Is there actually a long-term disability program, or a pension program of some sort for amateur athletes like this?

I am actually curious...because I don't know.

What about a kid who trains hard for ten years...and then has an injury right before making the national team?

Maybe 38,000 RMB does not sound like a lot of money, but at that time it would have represented about 15-20 years of the average person's salary in China...more if he was living in a rural area. Had he invested the money in a business of some kind (assuming someone in his family could have given him guidance on this), he would perhaps not be in such dire straits. I understand that his grandfather got sick and he helped with the medical costs...which caused additional problems.

We read every day about former Pro athletes in the US and Canada who end up broke, on the street...or worse...after being paid millions during their careers.

Some of the blame for these tragedies has to fall to the handlers and the promoters behind the scenes. Some of it also lays with the athletes and their families.

The biggest problem with the Chinese system, if the article is to be believed, is that the basic education of their elite-child-athletes is neglected while they are being groomed. If that is true, then it certainly limits the options that any of them have after they leave their sport behind (as all must ultimately do).

reply to post by mobiusmale


I know in Ireland we give them teaching or training positions. We have national (death) sports called GAA and Hurley which you don't get paid for but you get a good job and basically looked after for the rest of your life.

In America you can go broke and loose it all but write a book about it and get more than double back. There just doesn't seem to be any such avenues for the Chinese.

It said he wiped out his savings when his grandmother had a brain tumor and needed treatment. After that cleared out his savings he had to sell his medals and take up begging. I feel really bad for the guy.

reply to post by Imhotepsol


Yes, absolutely, I feel bad for him too.

It is disturbing, really, to see people who have such (obviously) special talents and abilities end up on the scrap heap. I hope that the publicity of his plight will somehow result in a second chance for him...surely he can train others who wish to progress in this sport.

I wish him all the best!

reply to post by Imhotepsol


He is a slave. Slaves are disposable.

The Chinese should be banned from participating in international sports until the practice of slavery is eliminated from their team organizers.

reply to post by mike_trivisonno


I fear an outright ban would cause more misery for the Athletes - even though it is completely justified. Perhaps a better way would be to have an international body responsible for the Athletes. So when they reach a certain level domestically they would become part of the international body and could find work from there if they're injured or retiring.

It's just a shame to loose sight of so many amazing people who've dedicated their entire life to developing almost superhuman levels of talent. We should be seeing those people are a valuable resource instead of a short term commodity.

For every successful Yao Ming, there are considerably more failures that are rarely heard of.