All About London Olympics and Paralympics 2012
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concern2:
Don't take me seriously on dis wan.
Yeah, anything to discredit them.Way2GO:
Gotta hand it to John Leonard for his persistence.
When claims of doping were rebutted with negative tests,
d Americans tried d angle of tampering with genetic engineering.
If dat still doesn't stick, next cld be child abuse by pointing at China taking d young talent away
fr her parents n putting her thro inhumane training regime.
I was saying d child abuse part in jest.
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Way2GO:
Don't take me seriously on dis wan.
Yeah, anything to discredit them.concern2:
[quote=\"Way2GO\"]Gotta hand it to John Leonard for his persistence.
When claims of doping were rebutted with negative tests,
d Americans tried d angle of tampering with genetic engineering.
If dat still doesn't stick, next cld be child abuse by pointing at China taking d young talent away
fr her parents n putting her thro inhumane training regime.
I was saying d child abuse part in j
est. [/quote]Sorry ah, still on earth here... :?
I know he didn't say that...but when you say you said in jest, I wonder if I got you right... -
concern2:
Moonrocks is street slang for MDMA, a recreational drug.
Oh, :rotflmao: sorry ah, not rocket fast lah..
Its a much purer form of d drug than d more commonly known Ecstasy in these parts. -
Way2GO:
OIC! :rotflmao: I thought you meant to say take the illegal stuff and you'd never see the light of day! :rotflmao:
Moonrocks is street slang for MDMA, a recreational drug.concern2:
Oh, :rotflmao: sorry ah, not rocket fast lah..
Its a much purer form of d drug than d more commonly known Ecstasy in these parts. -
Olympics: China bid for image makeover
Posted: 03 August 2012 1216 hrs
(source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/specialreport/view/3788/1/.html)
LONDON: When China's deputy chef de mission Xiao Tian stressed the importance of sportsmanship and showing \"Olympic spirit\" before the London Games, it sounded like the usual platitudes.
But China's surprising reaction to the expulsion of two gold-medal contenders shows how the country, already pre-eminent in the Olympic arenas, is at pains to show a benevolent face.
After top seeds Yu Yang and Wang Xiaoli were among a group of Asian badminton players disqualified for playing to lose, not only did China not object -- it applauded the decision.
And in an astonishing move, China's usually taciturn head badminton coach Li Yongbo gave a series of interviews apologising for the scandal and admitting he ordered the tactics.
\"As head coach, I owe the supporters of Chinese badminton and the Chinese TV audiences an apology,\" he told China's state-run Xinhua news agency.
\"Chinese players failed to demonstrate the fine tradition and fighting spirit of the national team. It's me to blame.\"
For a coach whose team is notorious for its suspicious walkovers and retirements -- 20 percent of all-Chinese matches last year were not completed, according to one study -- it was an extraordinary about-turn.
It was set in train when Yu and Wang, as well as doubles pairs from South Korea and Indonesia, incensed the Wembley Arena crowd by deliberately trying to lose their final group matches, seeking an easier quarter-final draw.
Fans chanted, \"Off, off, off!\" as the players served into the net and hit the shuttlecock out of court, and looked disappointed when they won points. Games chief Sebastian Coe called the scenes \"depressing\".
\"We've already qualified, so why would we waste energy?\" shrugged Yu afterwards.
The backlash was swift, and it was led by China. News agency Xinhua, often a conduit for official views, denounced the players before they had been disqualified, commenting such behaviour \"violates the Olympic spirit\".
When the Badminton World Federation (BWF) dismissed the players, China's delegation said their antics \"violated the principles of the Olympic movement and went against the spirit of fair play. It hurt our hearts.\"
South Korea's appeal was rejected, while Indonesia started to appeal but withdrew their case -- and then criticised the competition's format. China was the only country to take no action at all.
On Thursday, China also stayed silent when Guo Shuang and Gong Jinjie were relegated from gold to silver for an infringement in the women's team sprint cycling. On the podium, both riders wore gracious smiles.
According to Chinese journalist Norman Li, China's accommodating reactions show how they are keen to project a positive image, especially after doping suspicions clouded the displays of teenage swimmer Ye Shiwen.
The 16-year-old had been greeted with incredulity when she broke the 400m individual medley world record with a swim whose final lap was quicker than US winner Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps in the men's competition.
\"These Olympic Games have had controversy with Chinese athletes like Ye Shiwen and the doping issue,\" said Li, who follows China's Olympic team for Internet portal Tencent.
\"So the NOC (national Olympic committee) was trying to give a positive image and try to turn around the image of Chinese sports.\"
He said he had noticed a shift in Chinese attitudes compared to Beijing 2008, when fans were most concerned about the hosts' gold medal tally.
Now, he said, discussion on social media sites is focusing on sportsmanship and also China's Soviet-style sports schools, which select and groom athletes from a young age, often with punishing schedules.
Such debate was spurred when it was revealed that diving gold-medallist Wu Minxia was not told her grandparents had died, or that her mother had been battling cancer for the past eight years, for fear of disrupting her training.
\"I think people are thinking no matter how many gold medals we have, we have problems with our sports system and things,\" said Li.
\"The badminton (controversy) is a good example of that -- many Internet users are thinking more about the Olympic spirit.\"
Whether China's social media-users are influencing their officials, or the other way round, deputy chef de mission Xiao was keen to point out the importance of fair play as the delegation arrived in London.
\"We enter the Olympics as a country. It's not as an individual or a team or a squad. It's really as a country for China,\" he said last week.
\"After 30 years of reforms and opening-up, China is developing, it's progressing, in every field and we would like to have... friendly exchanges so the Olympic spirit can continue to be promoted,\" added Xiao. -
Olympics: Schooling sets sights on 2016
By Tan Yo-Hinn, TODAY | Posted: 03 August 2012 0733 hrs
LONDON: As far as the results are concerned, Joseph Schooling's Olympic debut was below par.
His much-anticipated race in the 200m butterfly heats - his pet event - ended in disappointment and controversy after he was told minutes before his race that his TYR cap and goggles were not among the list of brands approved for the meet.
On Thursday, he completed his first Olympics by clocking 53.63sec in his 100m fly heat at the London Olympic Park's Aquatic Centre to finish 35th out of 43 competitors.
Joseph admitted that he felt \"let down\" by Monday's incident.
\"A little bit but I didn't cry myself to sleep,\" the 17-year-old told MediaCorp.
\"Everyone has to go through ups and downs like these, and it is those who can come out stronger that make the difference ... between champions and everyone else.\"
The incident saw Joseph scrambling for approved equipment and left many - including his parents Colin and May, and Singapore's Chef de Mission Jessie Phua - fuming.
Phua has lodged a formal complaint to the International Olympic Committee, who are pursuing the matter with swimming world body FINA. Joseph has also asked Singapore swimming officials how the gaffe could have happened.
\"No one knew about anything. A day before, the US team were told they couldn't use TYR caps, (so) I was wondering why I wasn't in the loop,\" he said.
The teenager, Singapore's Sportsman of the Year in 2011, holds the national 100m and 200m fly records of 53.18 and 1min 56.67sec, respectively, and was aiming for a low-52sec (100m fly) and about 1min 55sec (200m fly) in London. The times would have put him in the semi-finals.
The Florida-based Joseph returns to Singapore later this week - his first trip home in over a year - to compete at the 8th Singapore National Swimming Championship.
He believes the experience he has gained here will be vital in his pursuit of glory at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
\"I'm just trying to enjoy this while I can,\" he said.
\"In 10, 11 years I may not be here. No one can have this kind of experience. You have to actually go to the Olympic Games, swim, go through ups and downs. On that side, I'm pretty happy. But it's mixed feelings. Hopefully, in 2016, I'll be (better) prepared and will do something special there.\"
- TODAY -
verykiasu2010:
I wonder how many Singaporean are totally pure, without Chinese lineage / heritage?
here is the mindset of the PRC people :
1. if it is PRC player vs ex-PRC player, they will cheer for their citizen
2. if the player is ex-PRC, and is vs another nationality, they will cheer for the ex-PRC, because they are proud of their heritage of Chinese people, regardless of nationality
3. if the player is overseas chinese vs non-Chinese, they will cheer the overseas Chinese....because of the 5000 years of \"blood line\" descendants of the dragon....
after dealing with the various levels of Chinese people and authority for the last 20+ years, I am certain this is their way of thinking.
It puts us to shame because we still argue of \"purity\" of citizenship and find every opportunity to find fault with new immigrants and cast aspersion on their loyalty. the more we do so, the more they feel ostracized even as they try to belong -
:grphug:
parent_in_west:
My husband and my son were watching the exciting table-tennis match. Could see that my son was very proud of Feng TW when she won the bronze medal. Singapore spirit? I think sports is one way that can bring up the Singapore spirit.
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ruohoo97:
Got lah, the Indians and Malays mah..
I wonder how many Singaporean are totally pure, without Chinese lineage / heritage?verykiasu2010:
here is the mindset of the PRC people :
1. if it is PRC player vs ex-PRC player, they will cheer for their citizen
2. if the player is ex-PRC, and is vs another nationality, they will cheer for the ex-PRC, because they are proud of their heritage of Chinese people, regardless of nationality
3. if the player is overseas chinese vs non-Chinese, they will cheer the overseas Chinese....because of the 5000 years of \"blood line\" descendants of the dragon....
after dealing with the various levels of Chinese people and authority for the last 20+ years, I am certain this is their way of thinking.
It puts us to shame because we still argue of \"purity\" of citizenship and find every opportunity to find fault with new immigrants and cast aspersion on their loyalty. the more we do so, the more they feel ostracized even as they try to belong -
ksi:
haha this one is not Asian ma.... :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao:
I know what you mean - there are so many events in swimming alone I also cannot recall precisely which one - have to check - oh yes, it is the 100m Breaststroke! - Lithuanian 15-year-old, Ruta Meilutyte.concern2:
[quote=\"ruohoo97\"]
How come NO one questioned when 15 years old girl won gold medal in one swimming event (which event? my poor head? :slapshead: )
only the prowess of asian's physique is questionable....
[/quote]Sometimes, I do feel those \"Ay moh\" very disgusting! :mad:
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