Coach was really ill
Players Yang, Wang say Chen had a fever and was in bed for 3 days
By Lin Xinyi
THE no-show coach who sparked the table-tennis controversy at the Olympics was sick in bed for three days last week, said paddlers Yang Zi and Wang Yuegu.
But Chen Jian did not consult the Team Singapore contingent's doctor Teh Kong Chuan. Instead, he self-medicated, with medicine Yang had obtained from the China table tennis team.
'It was the most convenient option then,' explained Yang yesterday.
He said that there is no need to read too much into the matter, after questions over the seriousness of Chen's illness had been raised by members of the public.
Although attempts to contact Chen over the past two days have been futile, his charge and Games Village room-mate Yang has vouched that he had a fever.
'At about nine-plus that morning, he told me that he couldn't get out of bed,' said Yang.
However, it remains unclear why Chen notified team manager Antony Lee of his illness only an hour before Yang's match.
Lee declined to speak to the media yesterday, while national head coach Liu Guodong could not be reached for comment.
The other officials and players could also not be reached, except woman paddler Wang, who said that Chen was so sick that he could not even talk.
'I could even see tears in his eyes,' she added. She declined to comment on other matters.
Chen did not step out of his room for three days. His meals - mainly porridge - were delivered by Yang and Wang. Wang added that he is getting better.
As Yang's coach, Chen was tasked with guiding the world No. 35 in his third-round match against Taiwan's Chuan Chih-yuan on Aug 21.
Another coach, Zu Haining, was supposed to guide Gao in his third-round encounter with Croatia's Tan Ruiwu.
But when Chen fell ill, Zu had to do double duty and oversee both matches.
Unfortunately for Gao, Yang's match, which was scheduled an hour before his, started late and went to the wire, so Zu was unable to attend to him in time.
Yang said: 'Who thought that this would happen? Man proposes, God disposes.'
Although Chen and Dr Teh were both at the Games Village when the coach fell ill, the doctor was not called upon by Chen or other team officials.
'I was surprised to know, after the event, that he was sick,' said Dr Teh, who was contactable round-the-clock at the Games.
In any case, there is no rule stating that Chen had to consult Dr Teh.
Dr Teh said: 'The medical team are there to provide support. But if they choose to, they can be seen by anyone else. It is hard to make it compulsory because there may be an emergency whereby you do what is most convenient.'
However, he added that it is preferred that athletes, coaches and officials from the contingent consult the team doctor.
Following the speculation surrounding Chen's illness in recent days, Yang hopes that the sceptics will be convinced.
Yang said: 'I've heard people comment that he might have faked the illness, but none of that is true.
'Do you think my coach would abandon me during such an important competition?'
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Players Yang, Wang say Chen had a fever and was in bed for 3 days
By Lin Xinyi
THE no-show coach who sparked the table-tennis controversy at the Olympics was sick in bed for three days last week, said paddlers Yang Zi and Wang Yuegu.
But Chen Jian did not consult the Team Singapore contingent's doctor Teh Kong Chuan. Instead, he self-medicated, with medicine Yang had obtained from the China table tennis team.
'It was the most convenient option then,' explained Yang yesterday.
He said that there is no need to read too much into the matter, after questions over the seriousness of Chen's illness had been raised by members of the public.
Although attempts to contact Chen over the past two days have been futile, his charge and Games Village room-mate Yang has vouched that he had a fever.
'At about nine-plus that morning, he told me that he couldn't get out of bed,' said Yang.
However, it remains unclear why Chen notified team manager Antony Lee of his illness only an hour before Yang's match.
Lee declined to speak to the media yesterday, while national head coach Liu Guodong could not be reached for comment.
The other officials and players could also not be reached, except woman paddler Wang, who said that Chen was so sick that he could not even talk.
'I could even see tears in his eyes,' she added. She declined to comment on other matters.
Chen did not step out of his room for three days. His meals - mainly porridge - were delivered by Yang and Wang. Wang added that he is getting better.
As Yang's coach, Chen was tasked with guiding the world No. 35 in his third-round match against Taiwan's Chuan Chih-yuan on Aug 21.
Another coach, Zu Haining, was supposed to guide Gao in his third-round encounter with Croatia's Tan Ruiwu.
But when Chen fell ill, Zu had to do double duty and oversee both matches.
Unfortunately for Gao, Yang's match, which was scheduled an hour before his, started late and went to the wire, so Zu was unable to attend to him in time.
Yang said: 'Who thought that this would happen? Man proposes, God disposes.'
Although Chen and Dr Teh were both at the Games Village when the coach fell ill, the doctor was not called upon by Chen or other team officials.
'I was surprised to know, after the event, that he was sick,' said Dr Teh, who was contactable round-the-clock at the Games.
In any case, there is no rule stating that Chen had to consult Dr Teh.
Dr Teh said: 'The medical team are there to provide support. But if they choose to, they can be seen by anyone else. It is hard to make it compulsory because there may be an emergency whereby you do what is most convenient.'
However, he added that it is preferred that athletes, coaches and officials from the contingent consult the team doctor.
Following the speculation surrounding Chen's illness in recent days, Yang hopes that the sceptics will be convinced.
Yang said: 'I've heard people comment that he might have faked the illness, but none of that is true.
'Do you think my coach would abandon me during such an important competition?'
[email protected]
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