Haven't read the whole post. Not sure what people are arguing about, but it's silly to say having rich parents is an "unfair advantage." Han Yan's training costs might be sponsored by the Chinese fed and he might have rich parents (I don't know anything about that), but he definitely is good enough to qualify for it based on his results. It's not so easy to make the Chinese national team. How that has anything to do with Josh Farris is beyond me. I mean, the world isn't fair. Isabella Tobias is rich enough to get the best partner she can get. I also happen to think Han Yan has more natural talent than both Farris and Brown, both of whom, mind I say, has very little chance to get to Sochi, whereas Han Yan is a shoo-in at this point. Chinese taxpayers pay for worse things than supporting an Olympic athlete.
That being said, Yan is definitely not the fed's favorite skater, or otherwise they would send him to senior GP. That kid has shown some discipline issue the fed doesn't like. Free money isn't free. Certain things you can't even buy with money.
That being said, Yan is definitely not the fed's favorite skater, or otherwise they would send him to senior GP. That kid has shown some discipline issue the fed doesn't like. Free money isn't free. Certain things you can't even buy with money.