Reform key for sporting success

Former Chinese gymnastics world champion Zhang Shangwu shows his medals on the street in Beijing, 15 July 2011. Zhang, a gold-medal winner at the 2001 Beijing Universiade, retired because of injuries and later started busking in Beijing. [Photo/IC]

China has no other choice but to push forward bold reform measures for the future development of sports, says a People's Daily article.

The guideline issued by the authorities on accelerating the development of the country's sports industry and promoting sports has been widely welcomed, but it has sparked concerns from some people inside the sports industry because of the lack of specific details.

Such misgivings are also embodied in their attitude toward the sport authorities' recent decision to no longer award medals to athletes in national games. Questions such as what is the value of athletics and what will happen to the sports in which China has traditionally been strong after the cancellation of medals need answering.

For those who have benefited a lot from the medals-oriented sports management, the cancellation of the medals as awards for performance may be truly discouraging and bad news. However, there is no need for the public to worry about the prospects for the country's sports, including athletics, given that sports in which China has traditionally been strong have developed from scratch to achieve success.

Without reform and modern development, China's sports will not go far. Such a universally acknowledged truth, however, has not completely stopped those preoccupied with selfish interests from speaking ill of or even hampering the country's ongoing sports reform efforts.

China's sports must overcome these difficulties and obstructions if they are to compete at the highest level in the future.