2028 Olympics: everybody kung-fu fighting?
- Source: Global Times
- [21:06 September 05 2010]
- Comments
Li Jinkang
GT: Most of the programs of the Combat Games are deeply rooted with the culture of the society that they come from, such as wushu in China. What's the ratio between Chinese and overseas athletes at these events?
Gao: We sent seven Chinese athletes to the Games for wushu competitions. All the other participants are from abroad - that's the ratio. That will also be the ratio of participants in the Asian Games in Guangzhou.
An athlete who ranks in the top four in the Word Championships for any individual sport is qualified for the SportsAccord Combat Games. Therefore, we limited the number of Chinese participants in the World Wushu Championships to leave space for other regions and countries to develop at the sport.
Even though all the seven Chinese athletes took the gold medals in the wushu events, we find many competitive athletes from overseas, such as those from Japan and Korea.
GT: How many years will it take for wushu to become an Olympic event?
Gao: We hope to make it in 20 years. We will apply to the International Olympic Committee whenever the chance is open. The committee may reject our application but that will not dampen our enthusiasm. We missed a golden chance in 2008 when Beijing held the Olympic Games but I think the chance will turn up again because wushu is one of the greatest contributions that 1.3 billion Chinese can make to Olympic sports.
We will make efforts to prove that wushu fits to Olympic models and can be integrated into the platform of the Olympic Games. The rules of wushu worked well at this SportAccord Combat Games but that doesn't mean it will work without problem in the larger-scale Olympic events. We will consider this question.
GT: Do the Combat Games bring in money? If not, what's their value?
Li: There are not many governments that make money directly from hosting sporting events. The four Grand Slam tournaments took around 100 years to become a cash cow.
But sporting events generate jobs and boost the local economy, as well as having other social benefits.
GT: What's your personal sports background?
Li: I got my primary education in a special sports school. When I grew up, I joined the People's Liberation Army and became a basketball player and later on a handball player. Then I worked with the sports bureau of the General Political Department of the PLA and for the sake of the 2008 Olympic Games I transferred to the Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau and worked there for five years until the Beijing Olympics.
I have participated in organizing all levels of games in wrestling, judo, boxing and so on in China. In 1997, we hosted the world championship of taekwondo in Changping district of Beijing. I believe the overall principle of hosting any event is the same even though I haven't had a chance to become familiar with every sport.
