The Drama

In 2013 when the National Games of China were held in Shenyang, there was a fair share of controversy. The benefits that come along with success, fallout that results from failure and the incentive of pride being trumped my monetization of rewards all came together to form a perfect storm. As written by the French press agency, the stakes are high for each area's sporting officials, with success in the medals table unlocking opportunities for promotion and increased funding from the central government in Beijing. Failure meanwhile can lead to the sack.

This pressure to succeed resulted in unintended consequences starkly contrasting the games purpose. Poor sportsmanship, allegations of corruption and protest ensued. Officiating during a women's rugby match was so one-sided that the Beijing team on the receiving end of poor calls simply stood in the middle of the field in protest and allowed the other team from Shandong to run up the score. In a page taken from the Mike Tyson playbook, a heavy-weight wrestler from Inner Mongolia sunk his teeth into the arm of his competitor from Henan. During a 10k marathon swim, two women got entangled in a fight and neither finished the race.

Street walls are painted with the National Games theme.[Photo/JIN Magazine]

The grand finally occurred when a synchronized swimming duo, known for being one of the best in the world, placed third and behind a pair of swimmers from Liaoning, the province of Shenyang. Complaining about the judges' local favoritism, the favored pair took to their weibo accounts and broadcast their criticism. "We should thank the judge even more for helping us finish our swansong in third place. It's not that easy to be third in China after being second in the world!" wrote Jiang Tingting.

To the dismay of Chinese officials who aim to promote ideals of unity, health and fitness for the masses, these events became an unfortunate sideshow. However, this only adds to the story and entertainment value for the enthusiasts involved with watching the games as they unfold. Even when things turn sour, the passion and grit are always appreciated. When emotions run high and so much is at stake, the athletes should be wound up and have tunnel vision with only a focus on winning. This is how stars are made and the ambition must be fed. Let's hope fairness in competition and judging prevail so the seeds of indifference never get planted into the participant's psyche.

Ancient Chinese sport-chuiwan.[Photo/JIN Magazine]

Chinese Discipline and training camps

It's been the topic of many news articles whenever the international media profiles athletes from China. Young people for some of the athletic events are identified at young ages and farmed out to training centers and undergo extremely rigorous preparations to compete on the international stage. Young children are shown crying as they are pushed down to stretch their limbs for gymnastics. We are familiar with all of the stories about the rigid factory systems producing top athletes, yet things are slowly changing.

During the weaker economic times of the past, having a child compete on such a level was a means to rise out of poverty for rural or low advantaged families. In the past, any young person gifted with athletic skill would stop schooling and dedicate all time towards training. It's not uncommon for some of the older athletes in China to be stereotyped as being less intelligent, and in truth this is the case much of the time. Since news spread of some renowned retired athletes barely being able to read and performing demeaning jobs to make ends meet, the previous model has undergone some adjustment. Many parents with only one child, and greater economic circumstances don't feel the same pressure to force children to endure such grueling routines. Nowadays, children attend school in the morning and go on to practice their athletics after they have finished. While performance is still important within Chinese culture, it has become more measured and balanced.