USA Today used Natalie Behring’s excellent photos to illustrate an article on China leading up to the Beijing Olympics.
Part of the flood of news we’ll be getting on China in coming months.
The word on China from everyone, even my Chinese coach friends, is CHANGE. Everything is changing. It’s uncontrollable.
Entire value systems are being swept away. (Believe sports training for children is free in Communist China? Read the article below.)
Western media will accelerate change. Articles like this:
The Chinese training methods have drawn scrutiny. After a visit to Shichahai in 2005, Matthew Pinsent, an Olympic rowing champion for Britain and former International Olympic Committee member, reported that gymnasts were being physically abused.
Some young Chinese athletes say they are accustomed to some abuse but defend the practice as part of training to be the best.
“I have been kicked and slapped when I didn’t try hard enough,” Sun says. “It hurts and I cry sometimes, but next time I try harder. The coaches are good. They are trying to help me.”
School director Liu Hongbin says abuse isn’t condoned: “However, the concept of beating and abuse are different in different cultures and countries.”
China ties Olympic gold to quest for worldwide esteem – USATODAY.com
Gymnastics Coaching.com 