Posted on 01/26/2005 2:56:36 AM PST by Robert Drobot
BEIJING, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- Tian Liang, the most popular Chinese diving prince and Olympic champion, was expelled from the national team on Wednesday for failing to concentrate on training.
Li Hua, the director of the swimming governing body of China Sport General Administration, told a press briefing here that as an Olympic champion, Tian could not concentrate on training recently and violated regulations and disciplines of the national team many times.
Tian, 25, has always been the diving fans' sweetheart with his heart-throbbing smile and handsome looking. He bagged a gold medalon the men's platform in the Sydney Olympics and grabbed the doubles' title on the platform in Athens. Losing the defending campaign in Athens on the singles glory to teammate Hu Jia did notdent his popularity a little bit.
"Tian asked for a half-year leave after the Athens Olympic Games, which was approved. However, he indulged in a series of commercial activities and did not get approval from the sports authorities." Li noted.
"As the preparation for the 2008 Beijing Olympics needs all athletes to devote themselves in the training, we talked with Tianmany times. But Tian did not make any changes." Li added.
According to Li, China does not ban athletes from attending social and commercial activities. But the precondition is that they must get approval from the sports authorities before and their training must not be affected.
"After the Olympics, I will definitely leave the pool for some time," said Tian before Athens. "No one can imagine what pressure I have been bearing these years, so I want to look for some fun after the Games."
Tian has been a pitchman for Amway and Bausch & Lomb since his victory in Sydney. He signed with the Hong Kong music giant Emperor Entertainment Group recently as the diving prince looked ready to dive headfirst into a singing or acting career.
When the Chinese diving team called up their divers to the winter training camp to resume training after two months of rest in November, Guo was one of the big names missing on the roster.
Li said,"what Tian has done in recent months has negative impact on the national team's management and the preparation for the 2008 Olympiad. Under such circumstances, we have to kick him out of the national team."
So far, Tian is still a member of the Shaanxi provincial divingteam.
"Tian Liang, the most popular Chinese diving prince and Olympic champion, was expelled from the national team on Wednesday for failing to concentrate on training. (Xinhua/File)"
Poor dumb bastard got to much of a taste of freedom outside the Great Wall. He forgot that in a communist state their ownership of his body is absolute. In China, you don't fart without written authorization.
In the US Senate, continuous verbal flatulence is a prerequisite.
"Diving prince"? Any relation to "dancing queen"?
Hiem Ngo Wok
IMO the tag 'prince' was applied by a less than astute party translator. My guess is he was trying to avoid using a commie taboo term that glorifies the individual - a commie no-no - and chose 'prince' as a substitute.
Translation?
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