Stars

New breed: China's stylish new winners

(China Daily)
Updated: 2011-06-19 08:37

Inspired by Li Na and other sports stars, Chinese athletes are making the effort to improve their image even as officials mull over how to help them.

Members of the Chinese national table tennis team have started to learn English after witnessing Li's speech at Roland Garros. It is an important step forward.

In spite dominating the sport, China's paddlers have been criticized for their gruff manners, their refusal to sign autographs for fans and their dodging of the media.

"This is excellent news," International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) President Adham Sharara said in a statement. "It shows the progressive attitude of the Chinese Table Tennis Association and their understanding that the players must be able to communicate with everyone.

"If they communicate in English then the entire world will listen, an exceptionally positive step which adds an extra dimension to the global appeal of our sport."

The State General Administration for Sport (SGAS), the national sports governing body, has also realized that a new world needs a new game plan.

In 2008 before the Beijing Games, it called in a sports consulting company to help train athletes handle media interviews.

"Although we don't run mandatory classes now, we encourage every sports team to have the training whenever possible," says Zhou Jing, an SGAS official with the publicity department.

A new language has been added to the international courts, tracks and pool, and it is a language spoken by 1.3 billion people. As for the rest of world, Chinese champions are making an effort to better communicate with their international fans, so nothing will be lost in translation hereafter.