Maybe their federation told them not to...Originally Posted by hockeyfan228
do they get a final say or do they have to do what they're told by their federation? I'm not sure how it all works over there... but I also remember the story in 02 after SLC... I agree in the long run it was good for them because they have grown... but I hope that if they are competing this next season it's because THEY want to...and for no other reason but that.
I've always gotten the impression that the Chinese federation is the Soviet federation of the new millenium. Yes, you will do what we tell you. No, you will not have any say in it. No, you are not going to the West to make money. Yes, if we decide you are we going to take most of it.
Peng Shuai, a Chinese tennis player, recently created a stir by protesting the amount of money that the Chinese tennis federation took from her; I'm surprised they've even let her out of the country since. I rather suspect the Chinese skating federation may be afraid of having their people defect, much like the Iron Curtain regimes were, if they spend too much time in the West
She's making money for them. Maybe they doubled her guard.
Exactly. Martina Navratilova, in her autobiography, talked about her defection from Czechoslovakia and the troubles with the federation that led to this, and she basically said, "Why did they have to push me? Why did they have to treat me like that? I was making good money for them, and with the money I've made since, I could have doubled the Gross National Product!!"In regards to the Chinese skaters, Shen & Zhao could be a pretty good moneymaker for them.
Sounds like the communistic form of capitalism.
Joe
Their website says shen/zhao love skating. It's their own decision. Their coach actually believes it's better for them go pro on high note.
I think they should probably go pro soon. 1 more season tops unless they really show they can be on top for another 4 years. They dont want their marketability to drop too low that they arent the draw for pro tours and shows they would be now.
Oh darn. I will risk having tomatoes thrown at me here at Golden Skate, by saying I was hoping they would retire this season and give the other pairs a chance to move up.
Ladskater, based on what I saw last year they are very beatable anyway. If other teams are really that good they will probably pass them anyway. If Pang/Tong, Zhang/Zhang, Savchenko/Szowkowlsky, come up with the right programs and maximize their potential output next year, I would be surprised if Shen/Zhou regain enough of their old magic at this point to beat any of them. Pang/Tong should have beaten both Zhang/Zhang and Shen/Zhou at the Olympics, which was horrably judged, so I wouldnt base much on that, and Zhang/Zhang rarely skate as they did in the Olympic long program, although obviously trying the quad sal had everything to do with that. Teams like Inoue/Baldwin and Marcoux/Buntin need to improve to deserve to be on the podium probalby anyway. Dube/Davison I am interested to see how fast they can rise.
I could be proven wrong, but I doubt them holding back any truly worthy young talent next year.
Well it will depend on how much he heals and how much training time they get. If they can get back to their previous condition. I think they can still pull it off.
Seems the story about chinese federation or chinese sport machine always runs one way by westernia media.....Do they ever report who pays her training cost before Peng Shuai even being able to play tennis to make money?
I would guess the sports organization! When an athlete has the 'future' they really 'invest' money on these athlete. Best coaches, best trainning equipments, best sport's research team, best doctors, everything for free before the athelet starts winning the money......As an old chinese saying goes "While drinking, don't forget the ones who dig the well for you!"
The last I heard chinese athletes and/or coaches nowadays are quite 'free' to leave the country. YanYang (a speed skater) had come to US study and work for quite a while, only went back to china training for 2006 Olympics a year before the O. The chinese are also known as the biggest export of diving coaches. They introduce the chinese training methods to Canada and Austrilia, they are now the major competetion to chinese diving team.....That being said, sure there is no 'freedom' anywhere can compare to here in US.
Back to the topic, I love this team and what they emote on ice. But for their own sake I don't know how much Zhao's body can take. Couple of years ago, saw them skating in COI show. I caught Zhao's feet often some little 'slip' or 'glit' when they do lift. And I knew he was 'old', even back then I have my own doubt they could win 2006.....now he is about another 3 years older. I really doubt.
Last edited by mzheng; 06-11-2006 at 12:10 AM.
I would not be surprised that they want to give competition another full season, just to show they can (physically) do it, even if they don't win. (BTW, if Kwan should continue to compete, it will be for a similar reason -- a desire to go out looking at least physically strong)
Posting Permissions
Bookmarks