Descend to Ascend: To rise, one must fall

It should have felt perfectly normal. Her run was flawless, her jump majestic and her arch inch perfect. As she plunged into the waters, her team afforded the cameras a smile. They knew what was to come. But did she? Standing atop the podium, she appeared a picture of grace and calm. But her eyes were speaking the unspoken. They had a glimmer of pride, but were shrouded in anguish, and were clearly seeking answers. But who would answer them?

Wu Minxia, 26 was now a sextuple Olympic champion, something that not many could boast of. It’s not that other athletes don’t have to make sacrifices, it’s just that hers had happened without her knowing of it. She may have rocked the world, but her world had been rocked too. Her ‘golden’ day was to have no silver lining. She was informed of her grandparents demise and her mother’s terminal illness by none other than her father, who clearly believed in the in the ‘country before self’.

But what about the country itself? What about its feelings towards its heroes? A lot has already been said and written about the Chinese Government and it’s ‘stringent-policies’ involving a strict training regimen for their Olympians. Olympics, for one, raise the very important question as to whether we are humans first, competitors later or are we humans because we have this urge to overcome all competition?

But what makes Olympics, such a ‘big deal’ for them? Is it sporting supremacy? National pride and honour? Desire to be atop the summit in every venture? Or is it to indicate that they are the the true proponents of communism by taking up the Soviet Union’s mantle as the USA’s greatest sporting foe?

The reasons aside, the amount of effort and resources put in to train the athletes is huge. Approximately $400-500 million were spent in the years leading to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, for around 150- 200 ‘elite’ athletes. Compare this to the USA, where $200-250 million were spent to train a 2500-3000 people contingent.

Is this a contrast of their ambitions, or just a different set of working ideologies? Or is it the case of implementation of forced will against promotion of the free spirit? It is believed that sports should never be thrust upon somebody, lest they lose their love and respect for it. But the only common link between the Ronaldos and the Sharapovas is that they were gifted a football or a tennis racquet at an age when they could barely walk, and these instruments became their life-long partners. It is not just the initiation that matters, but the motivation to practice everyday until you become a champion. And that motivation can only be fuelled by inspiration. Patriotism, even in its misplaced form, kindles the fire, thus inspiring athletes to fight and strive for glory.

The Rings of Fire

Legend has it that the Chinese Government scouts young talent right from their formative years. The promising candidates are then shipped away to ‘military boot camps’ and undergo a Spartan training regimen to ensure harmony within the camp. Here, minimal family contact and a non-existent social-life are the norm. These places preach the ideals of only work, only dream, only believe; believe that you will sweep gold. The Government bears all the expenses and ‘looks after’ the young kids. Meanwhile, in the US, you prove your credentials and essentially climb the ladder to get a look-in. All the contracted athletes are funded by the USOC and other promoters and publicists.

Both systems may lead to the same outcome – victory, but the distinction lies in the fact that one makes you a champion, while the other coerces one from you. But before we start criticising Chinese policies regarding training as being too brutal and inhumane, we need to take a closer look back home and try and set our house in order first. Boasting a similar population but an entirely different framework, in India, the saying ‘Everything is Okay’ works. This apathy translates into a barrage of ‘ridicule’ and a motley jumble of medals. Patriotism is contagious, but somebody needs to spread the virus first. Not only is the funding not at par with China, it is also the mentality that involves settling for second-best. Treating victories as lotteries rather than possible realities, we essentially make failure an option.

Apart from that, the furore regarding the AITA and the players was shameful and dealt in the usual fashion – the ‘players will deal with it themselves, why get our hands dirty’ way – which ultimately led to our demise. Think about it, would China have allowed such a blemish? Can they be held to ransom by their athletes? No, because the athletes play for China and not for their personal gratification.

People believe that by adopting China’s model, individuality is compromised and players become emotionless glory-hunters. What people fail to realise is that the athletes transcend a level, they become something bigger, they become one with their country, ready to employ any means, to undergo any misery to triumph and drape their flag with glory.

The void in Wu Minxia’s life may be hard to fill, but when she stood on the podium she was not alone. The world had stood up and taken notice. Her tribulations may have scarred her, but the gold glittering beside her breast-pocket signified her undying commitment to uphold the trust reposed in her by her country. She had chipped away a part of her humanity to earn the elusive immortality.

They say to rise you must fall.