Sports FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2013 Fights, bites, protests at China’s national ‘Olympics’

BEIJING: Fighting, biting, alleged cheating and an extraordinary officials had set its rugby teams high targets at the Games. “It onships has reduced the tournament’s standing. Even so, for some on-pitch protest have cast a shadow over China’s National Games seems the match was thrown because of bad referee calls or lower-ranked athletes the National Games are their only chance of and prompted renewed accusations that the quest for medals in injuries, but the farce at the games were a result of the sports sys- a medal, fame and a comfortable retirement, leaving them some- the domestic showcase is motivated mainly by greed. The quadren- tem’s obsession with medalling,” sports sociologist Lu Yuanzhen at times desperate to succeed. An official from the Shenyang National nial tournament dubbed “China’s Olympics”-which draws to a close South China Normal University told the China Daily. Games told AFP that he could not comment on the financial incen- in Shenyang yesterday-features teams from each province and “For years, we’ve been calling for a change from the pursuit of tives for athletes or officials, but that the event had been a suc- region, as well as the military, emergency services and state-run medals, but elite competitive results remain major achievements in cess.Commenting on the women’s rugby sevens, he added: “The entities in what is intended as patriotic and friendly competition. evaluating officials instead of achievements in promoting mass fit- team (Beijing) were not satisfied, but it is not important who comes But the stakes are high for each area’s sporting officials, with suc- ness,” he added. Some officials did their best to give their athletes first or second.”— AFP cess in the medals table unlocking opportunities for promotion and an advantage even before the Games started. Hubei province said increased funding from the central government in Beijing. Failure, its team included local heroine and world number five Li Na, meanwhile, can lead to the sack. even though it was clear she would not be taking part as she was “The stench of money has haunted the National Games and competing in the US Open. However, the sly move gave Hubei’s become the driving force in encouraging athletes and coaches to other tennis players an easier draw as collective world rankings participate,” Xi Jiandong, vice-president of Jiangxi University of counted towards the seedings. In the synchronised swimming Finance and Economics told sohu.com, a news website. Despite the duet, Sichuan twins and favourites Jiang Wenwen and Jiang worthy slogan of “Fitness for all to enjoy”, athletes are under Tingting-silver medallists at last month’s world championships in intense pressure to perform, resulting in some extraordinary scenes Barcelona-came only third in their last contest before retirement. during the Games’ 12th edition over the past two weeks. The gold instead went to a pair of swimmers from the host During the women’s 10km marathon swim, two of the contest- province, Liaoning. The Jiangs refused to attend the post-event ants became embroiled in a fight, with neither of them managing news conference, instead organising their own event where they to finish the race. In the wrestling-newly reinstated as an Olympic wept as they criticised the judging. Soon afterwards Jiang Tingting sport-a heavyweight fighter from Henan was bitten by an oppo- thanked their fans on her verified account on China’s Twitter-like nent from Inner Mongolia. Online images showed him clutching his Sina Weibo, adding bitterly: “We should thank the judge even more arm, heavily marked with red teeth-marks, and grimacing in agony for helping us finish our swansong in third place. It’s not that easy at the referee. But the most striking image was the Beijing women’s to be third in China after being second in the world!” National rugby sevens team refusing to play the last minutes of their final games were first established in the final months of Imperial China, against Shandong, accusing the referee of prejudice. and the ruling Communist Party reinstated the event in 1959, with MOSCOW: Russian lawmaker Artur Chilingarov holds an Clad in their yellow kit, they stood in a huddle and simply let the People’s Liberation Army topping the medals table at the first Olympic torch in a lecture-hall of the Russian Geographical their opponents run past them and repeatedly score, eventually two editions. Society, in Moscow. Russian polar explorer Artur Chilingarov losing 71-0. The sport is in line for huge investment in China ahead China’s emergence as a sporting powerhouse at international will be a torchbearer at the North Pole during the 2014 of its introduction to the Olympics in 2016, and reports said Beijing events like the Olympics, Asian Games and world aquatics champi- Winter Olympics torch relay. — AP Former athletes struggling with addiction and illness

LONDON: Almost a quarter of former survey: “This important study empha- sportsmen have battled with health, sises the challenges professional addiction or financial problems after sportspeople face in retirement and it retiring, according to a British survey is crucial we help them adjust to life published yesterday. out of the spotlight.” More than 1,200 retired foot- Angus Porter, the chief executive of ballers, rugby union and league play- the Professional Cricketers’ ers, jockeys and cricketers were polled Association, which initiated the study, by the Professional Players added: “It is important that we contin- Federation, an umbrella body of play- ue to provide support, particularly in ers’ unions who interviewed a wide the crucial two year period after they range of former sports professionals stop playing.” aged from 22 to 95. The most recent example of a for- Simon Taylor, the PPF general sec- mer sportsman struggling to cope is retary, told Reuters some female jock- Kenny Sansom, the ex-Arsenal defend- eys may have been polled but 99 per- er who played 86 times for England : Members of the Serbian and Canadian teams pose during the draw ceremony for the cent of the respondents were men. and took part in two World Cups. His upcoming Davis Cup semi-final tennis match in Belgrade. —AFP The results showed that while 79 alcoholism was so bad he admitted to per cent said they were content with sleeping on park benches. Djokovic eyes Davis Cup glory their lives, 32 per cent said they did “When you come to the end of not feel in control in the first two years your career you obviously have more BELGRADE: Winning the 2010 Davis Cup for in the 2011 semis. An ailing Djokovic, who was nursing a after leaving sport. time on your hands and you drink proved the launch pad for to reach the ribcage injury, retired against Juan Martin del Potro in the Almost a quarter of them — 24 per three or four times a week, then it top of the men’s game and the 26-year-old hopes another reverse singles, handing Argentina an unassailable 3-1 cent — said they had suffered from becomes every day, and at one stage I epic run will have a similar effect. lead as he collapsed to the ground in anguish. physical and mental health issues or was drinking eight or nine bottles of Looking upbeat and raring to go just a few days after a It was an anti-climax to his memorable U.S. Open final financial and addiction problems as wine a day, “ he told Sky Sports News crushing US Open defeat by Rafael Nadal, Djokovic was win against Nadal that season, the most successful in the they attempted to embark on second on Thursday. named to play singles on the opening day of the semi- Serb’s career as he also claimed the and careers once their professional sport- “I was drinking to forget problems final against Canada in the cavernous Belgrade Arena. Any Wimbledon to go with a myriad of Masters Series titles. ing days were over. and I didn’t mind sleeping rough fatigue from his New York battles and the long-haul flight “I am fit this time and I don’t think adapting to red clay home will be soothed by the prospect of playing in front will be a problem because I’ve done it before,” he said of Many footballers have publicly because I’d get miserably drunk and of the partisan home crowd, the world number one said. the specially-prepared clay surface. struggled with their demons with for- then just fall asleep somewhere on a “I am tired and jet-lagged but also as inspired and “Canada are a very strong team but our home fans can mer Manchester United and Northern park bench,” he added. motivated as ever to play for my country,” Djokovic told a help us prevail in what promises to be a delicately bal- Ireland great George Best the most The PPF was organising a one-day news conference after yesterday’s draw which pitted him anced tie.” notable example. Former England conference in Birmingham to help for- against Vasek Pospisil in Friday’s opening singles rubber. Janko Tipsarevic has returned to the Serbian squad midfielder Paul Gascoigne’s problems mer professionals cope with the trials “It’s not the first time I’ve had only two days to recuperate after a 16-month absence and faces big-serving Milos have also been well documented over of life as they embark on a second for a Davis Cup tie after the U.S. Open and the fact that we Raonic in Friday’s second singles rubber. the last few years. career. will be playing at home for the first time in two years will Nenad Zimonjic and Ilija Bozoljac play Belgrade-born Some 16 per cent said they experi- The research found that almost half galvanise us to perform. Daniel Nestor and Vasek Pospisil in Saturday’s doubles, enced depression or “feelings of retained a link to their sport in some “The 2010 triumph was a stepping stone for all of us in while Djokovic locks horns with world No. 11 Raonic and despair”, 17 per cent had anxiety or capacity, and the average salary terms of our individual careers and that’s why we are real- Tipsarevic clashes with Pospisil in Sunday’s reverse sin- stress issues and 16 per cent suffered a among those surveyed was between ly looking forward to it.” gles. Nestor, Zimonjic’s former doubles partner on the ATP loss of self-esteem once they retired. 30,000 pounds ($47,400) and 40,000 Following their epic 3-2 win over France in the 2010 Tour, said he expected no empathy from a raucous Brendan Batson, the PPF chairman pounds, above the average national final, which produced a soccer-like atmosphere in a jam- Belgrade crowd although he called his birthplace “a home packed arena, Serbia suffered their first loss at the venue away from home.”—Reuters said in a release accompanying the wage of 26,000 pounds. — Reuters