Recently, the sports circle has been hit by a piece of breaking news: Gou Zhongwen, who once served as the director of the General Administration of Sports, was arrested on December 19, 2024. This is the highest-ranking official ever arrested in the sports circle. With Gou Zhongwen's arrest, his previous actions have also been exposed, involving many people, including familiar figures like Liu Guoliang and Cai Zhenhua. So, why was Gou Zhongwen arrested, and how did Liu Guoliang and others get affected?
Gou Zhongwen's career path shows that he had achievements in his field, but initially, he worked in electronics and information technology. In 2008, he was transferred to Beijing to serve as the vice mayor, and in 2016, he became the deputy secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee and the director of the General Administration of Sports in October of the same year. At that time, Cai Zhenhua also competed for this position.
Cai Zhenhua, a former national table tennis player, won championships in multiple world table tennis championships. He had a deep understanding of events and the sports industry, leading many to believe that the director's position would be his. After retiring, Cai Zhenhua served as the head coach of the national table tennis team, training many outstanding players and contributing significantly to China's sports. In 2007, he became the deputy director of the General Administration of Sports, just one step away from the director's position. Many thought Cai Zhenhua would get it, but after intense competition, Gou Zhongwen won.
However, Gou Zhongwen had no prior experience in sports administration, making some of his decisions confusing. For example, he implemented a rule that all athletes must undergo physical fitness tests with the same standards, failing which they could not enter the finals. This controversial decision disregarded the unique physical characteristics and professional needs of different athletes, causing capable athletes to miss out on competitions due to fitness test results.
After competing with Gou Zhongwen for the director's position, Cai Zhenhua did not receive any higher positions and had little influence or news about him in the sports world. Gou Zhongwen also made significant adjustments to the management structure of the national table tennis team, moving Liu Guoliang, the head coach, from front-line coaching to a nominal vice-chairman position of the Table Tennis Association. This change affected the team members who felt they lost a trusted and experienced coach. Some even boycotted the China Open held by the International Table Tennis Federation on June 23, 2017, causing a stir.
Despite Liu Guoliang's return to the national table tennis team later, Gou Zhongwen's actions left a scar in some people's hearts. However, during his tenure, Chinese athletes achieved good results in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, promoting the development of China's sports.
On December 12, 2024, Gou Zhongwen was "double removed" for violating regulations by accepting gifts and bribes and engaging in power-for-sex transactions. These serious offenses led to his arrest on December 19, 2024, and subsequent prosecution by the procuratorate, awaiting legal sanctions.
From this incident, we can see that some of Gou Zhongwen's regulations during his tenure as director of the sports bureau were incorrect, which everyone can accept since everyone makes mistakes. However, illegal acts during office are another matter entirely.
The sports field carries national honor and public expectations; every decision and action should be based on fairness, justice, and promote healthy industry progress. Illegal and disciplinary violations are like hidden termites, eroding the originally clean and positive ecological environment of the sports system, making it difficult to ensure the professionalism and influence of sports events. Ultimately, the damage falls on sports enthusiasts and the entire country's sports industry.
Therefore, illegal and disciplinary violations cannot be tolerated and must be seriously dealt with to give an explanation to those who love and engage in sports. This will allow the sports industry to return to a healthy development track and regain its former purity and glory.
Sports not only concern national glory but are closely related to the efforts behind the athletes. If officials can change situations with a wave of their hands, the athletes' efforts become futile, which is extremely cruel to them. This is not only harmful to individual athletes but can also lead to difficulties in cultivating reserve talents in the entire sports industry. Children with sports dreams may choose to give up at the starting stage, unwilling to embark on this uncertain dream-chasing path. As a result, the talent foundation of the sports industry will be shaken, leaving no new forces to continue the brilliance of sports and defend the country's glory in the sports field.
Therefore, managers in the sports field bear significant responsibilities. The power in their hands should be used to protect the sports industry and help athletes shine better, rather than becoming stumbling blocks that hinder athletes from achieving their dreams and disrupt the healthy development of the sports industry.
