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Chan Kin-wa

Chinese athletics authorities suspended their top high-jumper Zhang Guowei for his involvement in commercial activities without letting his teammates know.
The Chinese Athletics Association said in a circular last week that Zhang, who has a personal best 2.38 metres and considered the number one in China, was banned from all domestic and international competitions after the athlete was found to have broken the team’s strict rules on commercial engagements.
It was reported Zhang, 27, made up excuses after leaving the team twice from late February to early March for private commercial activities.

The punishment came after “Zhang’s behaviour seriously affected the team’s training and set a bad example.
Superfan Yamada dies with unfulfilled Tokyo Olympics dream
“We will try to educate him and at the same time alert other team members with this warning,” said the circular.
Zhang, who is a well-known celebrity in China, is permitted to stay with the team but under close observation.

Zhang won a silver medal at the 2015 World Championships after clearing 2.33 metres, just one centimetre behind eventual champion Derek Drouin of Canada.
He set a personal best at the Eugene Diamond League meet in the same year, which was also one centimetre behind Zhu Jianhua’s Chinese national record of 2.39 metres set in 1984, a then-world record in the men’s high jump.
This is the not the first time Chinese authorities have suspended athletes for being involved in commercial activities. Former swimming world champion Ning Zetao, who announced his retirement earlier this month, was banned by the Chinese Swimming Association for the same reason in 2017 and was sent back to his provincial team. And diver Tian Liang, a double Olympic champion, was kicked off the national team in 2005 for a similar reason.


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China

Zhang Guowei represented China at the last two Olympic Games and has a personal best of 2.38 metres
The high-jumper has over 2.8 million microblog followers due to his regular showbiz appearances


Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Red hot high-jumper Zhang Guowei banned by China for involvement in ‘commercial activities’

Zhang Guowei represented China at the last two Olympic Games and has a personal best of 2.38 metres The high-jumper has over 2.8 million microblog followers due to his regular showbiz appearances

Zhang Guowei represented China at the last two Olympic Games and has a personal best of 2.38 metres

The high-jumper has over 2.8 million microblog followers due to his regular showbiz appearances