Athletes cheated out of fair payment by hukou system

By Sun Xiaobo Source:Global Times Published: 2015-11-27 23:43:01

Illustration: Peter C. Espina/GT


In China, hukou (household registration) plays a critical role in people's life. And when it comes to Beijing, with its better hospitals and first-rank universities, the right hukou marks the difference between the haves and have nots. Without a local hukou, which can only normally be earned through certain privileged jobs, Beijing residents face a stream of restrictions and difficulties in life, whether in buying a house or sending their children to school.

Recently, public attention was caught by reports that several athletes who had served in various Beijing's sports teams couldn't get the one-off payments they were owed upon retirement as they lacked a Beijing hukou.

These former athletes, who came from different parts of China, were promised a Beijing hukou if they performed well in national and international sports competitions. But when they kept up their side of the bargain, sometimes even winning championships, their teams failed to honor the promise. And because of this, it turned out that these people couldn't even get their payments for years of service since only team members that had a Beijing hukou could be paid, according to the regulations.

The payments in question can amount to more than 100,000 yuan ($15,660), a decent number for the ex-athletes.

These former athletes found their hands bound when fighting for equal rights. Athletes are often put at a disadvantaged position and have barely any say in safeguarding their rights. They are mostly used as a tool to build up a brilliant reputation for the teams they serve and always have to obey the requirements of the teams. Not much attention is spared for their education or to help them get a career later in life.

This isn't the first time such stories have caught public attention, such as champion gymnast Zhang Shangwu, found performing in Beijing in 2011. He was also spotted in various Beijing subway stations selling goods recently.

Zhang had won two medals at the Summer Universiade in 2001, but was forced out by injury and had no other skills, so was forced to perform gymnastic tricks on the street. He blamed the system for failing to provide any training or support for athletes and seeing them just as tools for winning medals.

Obviously, an athlete's hukou should make no difference as to compensation; it's their abilities that matter, not a bureaucratic necessity.

Every year around 3,000 athletes retire in China, of whom the majority get such one-off payments. There may have been many cases where the athletes couldn't get due payment due to their hukou. The sports watchdog needs to take the unfairness revealed by the experiences of these athletes seriously and introduce some measures to address the artificial barricades.

Going for medals has helped China stay high in the tally at international sports events and remains dominant in the thinking of sports authorities.

But this goes against the sportsmanship, something that has gained increasing recognition from Chinese people who used to be fanatical about medals. It's necessary for the country to push forward reforms in its sports system and take the interests of individual athletes into consideration.

Only in this way can those athletes who have won honors for their teams gain what they deserve.

The author is a reporter of the Global Times. sunxiaobo@globaltimes.com.cn



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