Last week, news was everywhere about China’s diving queen, Guo Jingjing was rude towards the press. Guo is the two-time Olympics champion and the most popular female diver in China. Her fame, since Athens Olympics in 2004, has gone beyond sports arena to entertainment world which she appeared in numerous TV commercials. So you might ask, what is the big deal for a pretty girl and celebrity to be a little arrogant towards the press? It happens everywhere around the world. So what that she was playing with her cell phone, making handicraft at the press conference, chatting with her teammate and giving curt answers. So what that she called the Canadian diver Blythe Hartley “that Canadian fatty” as she was asked who will be her toughest competitor in Olympics. In fact, some articles later even defended Guo by saying "fatty" meant endearment. Well, the news might not be shocking itself but it makes an interesting contrast with how serious China is taking to train their ritual girls to boost the country's image in front of the world. If an Olympics champion like Guo Jingjing doesn't even know how to deal with the press politely, what kind of image China would present to the world even if the ritual girls are able to smile the perfect smiles and stand so straight that could level books on their heads? It doesn’t just require sublime diving skill to be a top athlete, but manner and basic respect to others. Not long ago, there was Ms. Hu Ziwei, another famous woman in China, stormed CCTV press conference and turned it into a crusade against her unloyal husband. And now, the top athelet. I would like to quote Ms. Hu Ziwei here what she uttered repeatedly as she snatched the CCTV press conference: “If China doesn’t have a value system to export, what is the purpose for Olympics after all?”
