The CCTV Sports channel has a superb slogan: “Sport is power!” This statement proved true when China hosted the World University Games in Chengdu from July 28 to Aug 8. Some 6,500 student-athletes from 113 countries and regions attended the event. Nothing is more powerful than letting tens of thousands of athletes, team members and visitors from around the world witness and experience the vibrancy and prosperity of China. The Games successfully showcased China’s achievements to the world.
The Games was a resounding success for China for several reasons. First, it projected national pride and patriotism with outstanding results. China led the medal tally with 103 gold, 40 silver and 35 bronze, while Japan came in second with 21 gold medals, and South Korea and Italy tied with 17 gold medals each. The United States secured only one gold medal. However, these excellent results did not come easily. Many victories were achieved through tough training over many years, exemplary sporting spirit and determination, such as the women’s volleyball final against Japan and several swimming events which were won by mere tenths of a second. One particularly impressive performance came from a student runner from Tsinghua University, who trailed for most of the race before coming from the back of the field to win the women’s 10,000 meters.
Second, the Games showcased China’s magnificent stadiums, spectacular opening and closing ceremonies, cutting-edge technologies such as naked-eye 3D and robots, and organizational expertise to ensure the comfort and well-being of every athlete. Many athletes heaped praise on just about every aspect of the Games, from the competition facilities and venue to the operation and organization of the athletes’ village.
The Games have also fostered cultural exchanges, mutual understanding and friendships that transcend borders. China established great friendships with all 10,000 student-athletes and their team members who participated in the Games. There were many scenes of competitors hugging each other while offering their rivals encouragement and congratulations. Many Chinese athletes exchanged badges with their competitors and took them to visit the pandas and enjoyed hotpot meals together. Numerous stories of sportsmanship emerged during the Games. During one badminton match, the Chinese opponent’s racket string broke. When he was about to quit, the Chinese player promptly offered his opponent a reserve racket so that the match could continue.
Overseas journalists were pleasantly surprised that upon their arrival, as each of them received a handwritten personal letter from individual students in Chengdu bidding them welcome and extolling the history and attractions of Chengdu. In an era dominated by emails and texts, these handwritten letters — 3,000 in total — touched the hearts of many journalists. They vowed to share their experience in Chengdu upon returning to their home countries.
In his closing ceremony speech, Leonz Eder, the acting president of the International University Sports Federation (FISU), stated: “The event has made the dreams of student-athletes come true whether they have won medals or not because their experience in the city has been gold medal standard!” He congratulated the organizers for their fantastic venues, great facilities as well as hospitable people, and the best volunteers one could hope for. The services provided were exceptional. This level of success is undoubtedly the result of months of meticulous planning and careful implementation. This is no easy task when it is compared to the chaotic organization of the recent World Scout Jamboree in Busan, South Korea, where many participants suffered heat exhaustion, and where Hong Kong scouts had to sleep on the floor of South Korea’s Incheon Airport, while waiting overnight to fly home.
Many athletes had undoubtedly heard negative news about China through Western media before arriving in the country. They had been told that Chinese people live in fear. However, their presence in China allowed them to see the truth and witness China’s development and prosperity firsthand. As FISU’s secretary general, Eric Saintrond, pointed out, the Chengdu Games offered young people from around the world the opportunity to see and explore China for themselves. “This is particularly important given that people sometimes harbor erroneous pictures of the country through Western media”, he said. Many athletes and visitors were amazed by China’s modern architecture, its efficient transport system, friendly service, excellent cuisine and the vibrancy of Chengdu, as a garden city and an international metropolis. Above all, they appreciated the safety of being able to walk on the streets late at night without having to worry about being robbed or assaulted. Foreign athletes and sport fans participating in the Games shared numerous messages, pictures and videos on social media platforms. This is undoubtedly the best way to propagate the true China stories and to counter the China-bashing efforts of the Western media and American politicians who have indulged in crude China-bashing. A foreign athlete said: “I had never been to China before, but now I love China!”
Chinese mainland and Hong Kong media should capitalize on the Games’ success by producing more video clips that highlight the spectacular and touching aspects of the event and sharing them on social media platforms. This will help spread China’s success stories around the world.
For China, the Games will facilitate the growth of university sports, which is crucial for improving the physical health of students. It’s fitting that China designated Aug 8 as National Sports Day. Additionally, the Games contributed to developing the sports industry in China. According to China’s National Bureau of Statistics, the total revenue of the country’s sports industry increased from 952.6 billion yuan ($130.54 billion) in 2012 to 3.1 trillion yuan in 2021, at an annual growth rate of over 14 percent.
It’s good to see that the events were covered by RTHK Channel 32 but its coverage was far less extensive than that of the CCTV sports channels. I can only repeat my earlier proposal that RTHK television should have a dedicated sports channel to promote local and mainland sports events. Let’s hope the chief executive makes such an announcement in his forthcoming policy address. Local television networks should also revise their policies and expand their daily sports news coverage beyond that of the NBA, English Premier League and tennis games to include more events to showcase the mainland and HKSAR’s successes in international sports.
China now boasts an excellent track record of hosting major international sports events, including the Beijing 2008 Olympics, the 2022 Winter Olympics, and the Chengdu Games. These events demonstrate China’s capabilities and strengths. It’s only natural for China to strive to host more international sports events, as they provide the perfect platform to showcase its successes. There are upcoming opportunities, such as the Asian Games in Hangzhou in September, the Badminton World Tour Finals in Hangzhou in December and the World Games in Chengdu in 2025. China should aim to host the FIFA World Cup, regarded as the most spectacular international sports event.
The author is an adjunct professor of HKU Space and an honorary adviser of the Squash Association of Hong Kong, China.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
