Olympic champion Tian Liang will not be included in the national
diving squad, the China Swimming Administration Center (CSAC)
announced Wednesday.
Guo Jingjing, on the other hand, who has also been in the
spotlight since her Athens success, will make the women's team.
The 25-year-old Tian, who has long been seen as leading the
men's squad, has made frequent headlines since winning the men's
synchronized platform title at the?Athens Games, with numerous
commercial promotions and red carpet appearances.
He did not attend the team's winter training camp in November
after two months of rest, but requested six months off to "adjust
his body," according to the CSAC.
"But he remained involved in a number of commercial activities
and some of them did not receive approval from the center," said
CSAC Director Li Hua.
Li went on to say that Tian's behavior had been detrimental to
the team and their preparations for the 2008 Olympics.
Tian was heavily criticized for his work with the Hong Kong
entertainment giant, Emperor Entertainment Group, and plans for a
movie, TV and possible singing career.
According to reports, he was eager to rejoin the team,
contacting provincial diving teams each time he was in their
area.
"I have always been ready to come back. I made a self-criticism
to the team manager and CSAC officials. The national team will be
re-established in February and I am looking forward to a chance to
be back," Tian was quoted in news reports as saying.
A statement from the diver following the center's announcement
revealed that Tian's coach, Zhang Ting, was also dropped after
Athens. The reasons for this are unknown, but some believe that it
could have laid the ground for Tian's absence from the squad.
Tian has been a favorite of fans and advertisers since the
Olympics, but he was panned for planning to go to Malaysia for a
photo shoot at the same time many celebrities were helping raise
money for tsunami victims.
Tian's agency later expressed their intention of donating
revenue from the shoot to tsunami-stricken people, but the diver's
image had already been tarnished.
In contrast, the national squad's manager, Zhou Jihong, said
that Guo Jingjing would be a "core member" in 2008.
Zhou told reporters that Guo had expressed her intention to
return to the team at the end of last year.
Guo's affair with Kenneth Fok Kai-kong, the grandson of Hong
Kong business tycoon Henry Fok, has been one of the hottest topics
of gossip in both sports and entertainment recently.
Apparently contrary to Tian's statement, Zhou said that Guo had
made a self-criticism but Tian had not.
(China Daily January 27, 2005)
