Wrong to pay Li Na wages

Li Na, the top Chinese tennis player has reportedly continued to receive wage payments from Hubei Tennis Center even though she left the national team in 2008. The local authority says that Li is still a member of the center, and since her job is representing China and Hubei province when she competes in contests she deserves the wages, such payments should be cancelled, says an article on gmw.cn. Excerpts:

Li Na quit the national team as well as the State-run sports system in 2008 under an experimental reform policy for tennis players. This change was called "Fly Solo" by the Chinese media. As a result of the policy, Li had the freedom to hire her own coaching staff and she became solely responsible for the costs of her training, coaching and tour expenses. Therefore, the payments she has received from the Hubei sports authorities have shocked the public.

On the one hand, Li Na hasn't carried out the basic obligations required to receive monthly payments from Hubei sports authorities, and the local unit never checks on her work attendance or gives her any assignments. On the other hand, as Li's current income is much higher than the wages she receives from the local center, she would not have taken the initiative to ask for those payments, which has actually resulted in the public blaming her. As to some extent, Li received those wages passively without fulfilling her duties.

The reason why the local tennis center gives out wages to Li, is mainly because it wants to keep close ties with the top athlete, just as what the Hubei province did in awarding Li 800,000 yuan ($128,480) after she won the Australian Open Tennis Championship. They are both actions to reflect brilliance on themselves.

However, such actions are wrong and not necessary for the local authority if they want to award or retain talents. As Li didn't carry out her duties in Hubei province, she should not get those wages, otherwise the public will accuse her of freeloading. If the local authorities would like to use her talent, they should find more suitable ways instead of just simply giving her those wages.

Moreover, Li's freeloading is an abuse of public resources and basically a kind of power abusive. Li has said on occasion that she wishes more people could provide timely help to athletes who are suffering a low in their careers. So we hope the local authority can give the money to other athletes who are more in need of care and attention.