Stars

I am just protecting my rights, says Sang Lan

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-05-13 16:51

BEIJING - Paralyzed former Chinese gymnast Sang Lan, who has filed a $1.8 billion lawsuit in the US federal court, said Thursday that she felt "confused and sad" about being accused of being greedy and ungrateful.

The suit was against Ted Turner, who founded the Goodwill Games where the accident happened in 1998 in New York; the former AOL Time Warner Inc media company, which owned the games; the USA Gymnastics, which supported the event; and the couple who were her guardians in New York. It says they broke promises to care for Sang, then 17 and paralyzed from the chest down ever since.

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"As I said, I am defending my own rights," Sang said. "I can't keep silent any longer and I want to defend my rights. I have the right to sue and it's just that simple."

What put Sang in a center of controversy is that her defendants included her legal guardians during her treatment and rehabilitation in the United States, the couple Liu Guosheng and Xie Xiaohong.

Sang complained in the lawsuit that the couple, who were appointed by the Chinese Gymnastics Association as Sang's legal guardians after the accident, controlled her every move, silenced her from speaking out about the fall, used her name and image in their business without permission, and they also invaded her privacy.

In previous reports, the story between Sang and the couple was portrayed as one of daughter and parents. "Some said I was ungrateful," Sang said. "But Why I should be grateful in the first place."

The Lius have claimed that they paid for the treatment and did a lot for Sang. However, Sang said it was a lie. "What did they pay? The treatment, medicine, and other things were paid by insurance company."

Sang said that her fall was not a mistake. "The Lius forbade me to tell the truth at that time. The truth is that I was distracted by someone who moved a mat while I was in mid-air," she said.

"I just want an explanation and to understand the truth about what happened that year. There is nothing wrong with that," she said.

While the Lius refused to comment, their attorney, Hugh H. Mo, said the lawsuit had two weaknesses: one is the statute of limitations had expired in the complaint, and the other is that Sang has no evidence for her complaint.

However, Sang's lawyer in New York, Hai Ming, said they have enough evidences.

"The defendants said we lack evidences, but actually we have evidences. It is just not the right time to show them," he said. "We will leave to the court to judge."

Hai has been accused by Chinese netizens of manipulating Sang into filing the lawsuit for publicity or financial gain.

"I will not ask Sang Lan for money even if we win the suit," he said. "If Sang wants to pay me, I would advise with her to use the money to build a fund to help people in need."