Chinese Olympic table tennis champion Chen Qi says he feels like
a "new person" after paying the last installment of punishments for
losing his temper in an international competition.
The 21-year-old had already made an open apology, drilled in a
military boot camp and handed out an undisclosed amount of fine for
his televised tantrum two months ago. He said he soon repented
after he flung the ball the ground and kicked a chair into the air
as he lost the Asian Cup final to teammate Wang Hao in Japan on
March 5.
The chain of punishments was suspended as Chen Qi helped the
Chinese team defend the world team championship in Bremen, Germany,
early this May and team discipline was resumed once he
returned.
Chen, 2004 Olympic doubles gold medallist, was sent to do farm
work in Pantao village in the northern Chinese province of Hebei.
After a week of hard labor, Chen says he is now a changed man.
"I am truly sorry for my action," Chen said on Tuesday. "I
should never disgrace the Chinese table tennis team. Working in the
fields is a good re-education process for me."
Yet Chen, a prospect groomed for the 2008 Olympic Games in
Beijing, is still smart from his Asian Cup loss. "It was the second
straight final I lost in a month. That was really frustrating. I
was so angry and disappointed at my play that I lost my cool."
On Monday, Chen was seen weeding in a wheat field. He was clumsy
with the hoe and wiped forehead sweat with the sleeve of his
national team jersey. A throng of curious local farmers and several
reporters watched the table tennis star do the work he had never
done before.
"On the first day, Chen wasn't able to do anything," said Pantao
village chief Wang Haijiang. "But he is very clever and a quick
learner.
"Chen had plucked cucumbers, weeded and irrigated the fields,
fed pigs and leveled the dirt."
Chen declined autograph requests from locals, saying he was a
farmer not a sports star.
Table tennis is the most watched sport in China and it has won
far more Olympic and world titles than any other sport. Therefore,
the Chinese national table tennis team is expected to meet the
highest standards of personal behavior.
Chen's teammate Qiu Yike was banned for a year from the national
team for his late-night drinking in February.
In 2004, four national team members were thrown out for dating
teammates and were accused of impeding preparations for the Athens
Olympic Games.
"The Chinese table tennis team is the most disciplined team in
the world, that's why it has become so strong," said Yang Ying, an
athlete-turned-table tennis TV commentator, who had been once
suspended from the national team for reporting two hours late after
returning from holidays.
Chen Qi won't be the last table tennis player to work in the
countryside. Other players will be sent too, yet for a different
reason.
Liu Guoliang, the Chinese men's team head coach, says he is
considering sending the whole team for "education".
(Xinhua News Agency?May 17, 2006)