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China to pardon shunned athletes before 2008 Games
2006-02-17
China's Liang Tian dives during semi-final of men's ten metre platform diving at the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics August 28, 2004. Tian qualified for finals with the third best score. |
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China will reach out to national athletes it had cast off as trouble makers to field the strongest possible team at the 2008 Olympics, a Chinese newspaper said on Friday. Chinese sports authorities had a list of "problem stars" to "pardon" that included Olympic champion diver Tian Liang, towering basketball player Wang Zhizhi and tennis players Peng Shuai and Li Na, Titan Sports reported. "It doesn't matter who they are, if athletes can add to the 2008 Olympics and they have not made any principle mistakes, then bygones will be bygones and they will be welcomed back," the report said. Tian Liang was kicked off the national diving team in 2005 for taking part in too many "commercial activities," despite having won a gold and bronze medal at the Athens Games and the 10 meters platform title at the Sydney Olympics. "The General Administration of Sport thinks having a strong, experienced athlete like Tian Liang take part in the 2008 Games will definitely bolster chances of grabbing gold," Titan Sports quoted an unnamed "related" source as saying. This week, Li Yuanwei, director of the China Basketball Administration Center, went to the United States, in part to meet 2.16 meter (7 ft 1 inch) forward-center Wang Zhizhi and talk about his returning to the national team, the report said. Wang, the first Chinese to play in the U.S. National Basketball Association, was expelled from the national squad in 2002 for refusing to join them at the World Championships and other events that year. "The China Basketball Association's stance has always been that the door to the team can open any time to Wang Zhizhi. This time, we hope he will take action," Basketball Administration Center vice director Hu Jiashi was quoted as saying. Chinese sports authorities' obsession with glory in 2008 also explains the recent reconciliation between the tennis team and promising young player Peng Shuai, who had complained of being stifled and talked of breaking out on her own. On Thursday, she publicly pledged to stay with the national squad and focus on the Beijing Games. Team mate Li Na has also complained that the national system was holding her back, but continues to play with the squad. Chinese sports officials have repeatedly said the country is unlikely to repeat its Athens haul of 32 golds in 2008. But state media and national coaches have made far bolder predictions and by most indications China appears determined to top the medals table when the Games come to Beijing.
Yao Ming hits back at "privileged" jibes (2007-07-20)China to pardon shunned athletes before 2008 Games (2006-02-17)China sends Olympic champions to HK before polls (2004-09-06)Hu wins China's record sixth Olympic diving gold medal (2004-08-28)
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