Chinese Olympic table tennis champion Chen Qi says he feels like a "new
person" after paying the last instalment of punishments for losing his temper in
an international competition.
Olympic table tennis champ
Chen Qi works in the fields in Dingxian County, Hebei Province, May 15,
2006. [Xinhua]
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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 medalist, 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 are 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".
