You can love the game and still love another person

Zhao Yunlei (left) and Zhang Nan of China celebrate after defeating Chris Adcock of England and Imogen Bankier of Scotland during the mixed doubles finals of the World Badminton Championships at Wembley Arena in London on Aug 14, 2011. They became China's first known couple to win a world title on the same podium. Leon Neal / Agence France-Presse

Even at the Olympics, the best stories are love stories.

Though Chinese athletes are generally discouraged from dating teammates or fellow athletes, an increasing number have made their relationships public - and the establishment seems to be OK with that.

Front and center this time around are badminton mixed doubles world champions Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei, whose relationship was brought to light when they hugged and kissed after winning the Japan Super Series two years ago.

They have since taken over the world No 1 ranking, and last year become China's first known couple to win a world title on the same podium.

There's something about high-level badminton that seems to spark romance.

From Yang Yang and Zheng Yuli in the 1980s to Lin Dan and Xie Xingfang during the Beijing Olympic Games, a number of high-profile lovers have left their marks.

While Xie retired after the Beijing Games, Zhang and Zhao are playing together in London in hopes of becoming the nation's first Olympic gold-medal couple.

Compared with other Chinese coaches, badminton's Li Yongbo is lenient on the subject.

"I am actually not opposed to relationships between teammates," Li said during a recent interview with Xinhua News Agency. "It's a good thing, to some extent, because lovebirds can cheer for each other. It's the players' form that matters, after all. The pairs won't harm society and might improve their skills. So why interfere?"

Li has been there himself.

He met his wife, rhythmic gymnast Xie Ying, at a training venue in 1983.

"We were very young when we fell in love, my wife and I," he said. "What we talked about most of the time is, 'I'll get the badminton championship and you the rhythmic gymnastics one.' Those conversations can motivate you."

Several pairs of shuttlers have tied the knot in recent years. World No 1 and London Games title favorite Lin, who will defend his gold medal, and his wife, former world No 1 Xie, are the best known of the sport's couples.

It's hard to argue with results. Li's team is one of the most successful in the nation.

If Zhang and Zhao bring home a gold medal for China, it'll provide further evidence that romance can be a positive for athletes.

Changing attitudes

Other sports seem to be following suit.

Beijing Olympics shooting champions Du Li and Pang Wei got married after the Games and had a baby in 2010.

There was a rumor Du planned to retire because she expected to be kept off the Olympic roster. But the team supported the relationship, and the couple will compete in London as reigning champions.

To keep Du on track after the birth, head coach Wang Yifu even allowed the couple to take the baby to the training center.

Wang said such a decision would have been unthinkable in his own era.

"To see athletes training with their children would have been impossible when I was an athlete," said Wang, who joked that he has had to become a babysitter.

"I think it was necessary to manage them in a way that differed from traditional ideals. I think they did a great job during training, and we are all in great condition for the London Games."

The 30-year-old Du, a two-time Olympic champion in Athens and Beijing, said marriage and motherhood improved both her determination and her ability to stay calm under pressure.

"Every time I see the baby's smile, I tell myself I can get through all the agony and injury," Du said. "I've performed more consistently since having a child. For the first time, I feel really relaxed and I enjoy every moment of competition."

In gymnastics, Beijing Olympic champion Chen Yibing and individual trampoline winner He Wenna's romance made headlines. Fans loved it, thanks at least in part to their striking good looks.

Though they broke up last year, head coach Huang Yubin encouraged the relationship while it was happening.

"I do not think it needs to come as a surprise when athletes fall in love," he said. "It's natural."

Even the table tennis team, which has traditionally been very conservative on the subject, seems ready to accept that things are changing.

"Young players now are open-minded and unwilling to be restricted," said China's Vice-Minister of Sports Cai Zhenhua. "They should be allowed to have a personality."

In 2004, the table tennis team dismissed four players for romantic relationships. One was 19-year-old Bai Yang, who dated then-world No 1 Ma Lin. The other was 17-year-old Fan Ying, the girlfriend of rising star Wang Hao.Also booted from the team were world No 9 Li Nan, 21, and her boyfriend Hou Yingchao, 21.

Track and field coach Ma Junren asked his athletes not to have any contact with men, leading to a boycott from star runner Wang Junxia - a former world and Olympic champion - and some of her teammates.

Wang later wrote about it in her biography.

"A soldier can be killed but won't be humiliated," she wrote. "As long as I am still alive, I will let you know we have dignity."

Cai, a former table tennis coach known for a stern attitude toward love affairs during his tenure, said times are different.

"During my time, we were all focused on Olympic gold medals," he said. "But now, we have to take more into consideration. It's normal that players fall in love at their age. They should have their ways and room to make friends from the outside and expand their horizons. I'm not against that as long as they are not distracted during training and competitions."

Reports have said former world and Olympic champion Wang Hao is in a relationship with teammate Peng Luyang. Current men's No 1 and rising star Zhang Jike also dated Liu Shiwen before they broke up last year.

Wang, Zhang and Liu are all competing in London.

chenxiangfeng@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 07/27/2012 page12)