Wei Jizhong, as a landmark figure in the Chinese sports world, is almost impossible to overlook for his contributions to Chinese sports and his influence in the international sports arena. Especially in the process of promoting Beijing's bid for the Olympics, his role was crucial.
Everyone knows that Beijing successfully hosted the 2008 Olympics, but did you know? Behind all this, Wei Jizhong was undoubtedly a key player. At that time, he was not only the pioneer of the Olympic industry but also the "big brother" of China's sports industry.
Speaking of Wei Jizhong's achievements, just his role in Beijing's Olympic bid is enough to make him a memorable figure in history. Don't look at his short stature and mild temperament; he's not someone that can be compared to by just anyone.
He not only did a lot of work behind the scenes, coordinating resources, rallying support from all sides, but also won China a voice in the international sports community, bringing unprecedented opportunities and challenges to China's sports industry. Especially in the power play among those old-timers in the International Olympic Committee at the time, Wei Jizhong's calmness and keenness were not something just anyone could possess.
Honestly, Wei Jizhong was once hailed as the "Father of the Olympic Industry," but behind these accolades, there were actually many unknown controversies. Especially some later events completely shattered his "perfect image" in the public eye.
Especially at the age of 88, the article he published, "Using up my last light to help, without grievances for the better development of Chinese sports, welcome criticism and correction," really caused quite a stir. This article seemed to express concern and expectations for the future of Chinese sports, but many people felt that he was venting dissatisfaction and even using overly aggressive language, being too self-assured.
Some netizens commented: "Wei Jizhong's article is simply an excuse for himself. It seems like he blames everything on others, as if he has never made any mistakes." Others said, "He's so old, he should be more rational, don't do things that openly expose contradictions, leave some room for yourself and others." In fact, Wei Jizhong's article did not make him more popular; instead, it stirred up waves on social media, and the direction of public opinion also had some subtle changes.
Especially when it comes to the controversy involving Lang Ping, Wei Jizhong has publicly questioned Lang Ping's coaching ability on multiple occasions, which has been a hot topic in the sports circle. You say, Wei Jizhong's relationship with Lang Ping is really complicated enough.
Lang Ping led the Chinese women's volleyball team to win the 2015 world championship and then successfully led the team to win gold at the Rio Olympics, a feat that opened a new era for Chinese women's volleyball. But Wei Jizhong? He questioned Lang Ping's coaching in certain situations, even saying she was not suitable to continue coaching the Chinese women's volleyball team.
This angered many people because Lang Ping had already proven herself at that time, breaking many prejudices with her team. Yet Wei Jizhong criticized her at this point, making many netizens feel it was inappropriate.
Some netizens commented: "Is Wei Jizhong's head caught in the door? Lang Ping has achievements, I wonder why he has so much dissatisfaction with her. According to reason, older sports figures should respect their juniors more and not always nitpick." Others said, "He's so old now, still not content? Some words, once spoken, are simply inappropriate, better left unsaid." This also made many netizens feel that Wei Jizhong, this old man, should give himself some leeway and not ruin his lifetime achievements.
Let's talk about Wei Jizhong's relationships with Chen Zhonghe and Liu Guoliang. Speaking of Chen Zhonghe, many people know that he was once the head coach of the Chinese men's volleyball team and had a high reputation.
Wei Jizhong was exposed in some occasions as "forcing out" Chen Zhonghe. It is said that during Chen Zhonghe's tenure, Wei Jizhong exerted considerable pressure behind the scenes, leading to Chen Zhonghe eventually resigning from his position as head coach of the men's volleyball team.
Although Wei Jizhong denied this, Chen Zhonghe's resignation did attract considerable attention and discussion. Some netizens bluntly said, "Wei Jizhong's move is really unscrupulous. Chen Zhonghe is at least a head coach who has achieved good results, how could he be forced out like this? Is it really for his own power and influence?" Such remarks have once again put Wei Jizhong's image under scrutiny.
As for Liu Guoliang, everyone knows he is a "legendary figure" in Chinese table tennis. Under his leadership, the Chinese table tennis team has maintained an unshakable position in the world table tennis arena. However, Wei Jizhong seemed to have not let him go either.
Liu Guoliang was once criticized by Wei Jizhong, saying that his management in certain areas was not in place, and even made mistakes in some details. In response, some netizens said, "Why does Wei Jizhong always criticize others? Everyone can see Liu Guoliang's achievements, how can he negate them?" This further tarnished Wei Jizhong's image, and many netizens began to doubt whether he was adapting to his past glory in the sports world, hence constantly attacking these young people.
What surprises most is that Wei Jizhong is still so active in his later years, able to continue to speak out at the venerable age of 88. In theory, the older one gets, the more modest one should be, leaving some space for others.
Wei Jizhong, however, continued to make provocative statements in his later years, which not only raised considerable doubts about him but also made many people feel that he completely failed to adapt to the changing times, or even was overly self-assured.
There is no doubt about Wei Jizhong's achievements; his contributions to China's sports industry are undeniable facts. If he could reflect more and be less impulsive in his later years, perhaps his status in the public's heart would be more stable, and history would remember him more gently.