National volleyball officials have urged players to be beware of
protecting themselves and try to avoid injuries in the run-up to
the Beijing Olympic Games.
A Chinese national player was injured during practice on June 15
and is facing permanent paralysis, making him the second Chinese
athlete in less than a week to suffer neck and spinal cord
injuries.
Tang Miao suffered a broken neck while training for a friendly
match in St. Petersburg, Russia, with his Shanghai-based club
team.?
Tang's injury came after teenage gymnast Wang Yan broke her neck
in the national gymnastics championships in Shanghai.
Wang was injured on June 10 when she fell from the uneven
parallel bars and is likely facing permanent paralysis.
"We told the team never to lose concentration in practice and
competition," Chinese volleyball team official Zhang Luo said
during the World League in Chengdu.
"A slip of concentration will very likely cause injuries," he
added.
The Chinese men's spikers, who last appeared in the Olympic
Games in 1984, overcame much-fancied Argentina 3-0 and 3-2 in two
World League encounters over the weekend.
Chinese head coach Zhou Jian'an said on Sunday that the Chinese
team's ultimate goal is to make it to the Beijing Olympics.
"Away from the Olympics since 1984, we will have to qualify for
the 2008 Games. We have no other way out," said Zhou, whose
predecessors Shen Fulin, Wang Jiawei and Di Anhe all resigned after
failed attempts.
The 43-year-old Zhou, who took the helm of the Chinese team in
December 2005, said he felt like he was "sitting on a hot stove
with a sword dangling on his head".
"The volleyball authorities ordered me to send the Chinese team
at least to the top 10 in the Beijing Games," said Zhou. "It iss a
huge challenge."
(Xinhua News Agency June 26, 2007)