Could the Fast Ice Be Broken after Throwing “Shi” to Clear the Road to Revolution

23^rd, December, Xinhua News Agency: Could the Fast Ice Be Broken after Throwing “Shi” to Clear the Road to Revolution –The Exclusive Interview of Wang Shi, President of Asian Rowing Federation
Wang Haoming, the reporter from Xinhua News Agency
In September this year, Wang Shi, the Chairman of Vanke, was elected President of Asian Rowing Federation, surprising the public like a huge stone falling into the sea as well as raising a series of questions: what is the story behind Wang Shi’s election? What is the consideration of Chinese Sports to choose an entrepreneur to be the leader of international organizations? Could the courageous and brave action “throwing a stone to clear the road” really break the fast ice of Chinese Sports?
Recently, Asian Rowing Federation held the first conference of the executive committee in Sihui, Guangdong. During the sessions, the reporter from Xinhua News Agency invited Wang Shi to the exclusive interview in the hope of getting answers for the above questions.
(Subtitle) Revolution and Trust
Speaking of being elected President of Asian Rowing Federation, the first word Wang Shi blurted out was “revolution”.
“My immediate response is ‘revolution’”, Wang Shi explained, though he has been the Vice President of Chinese Mountaineering Association, the title was mostly of symbolic significance. As for the associations of gold-medal projects, official figures from General Administration of Sport of China were usually recommended to international organizations, like He Zhanliang and Wei Di who have once been the President of Asian Rowing Federation.
“Now it is totally different from the past, a non-governmental citizen is elected the president rather than the vice president, which definitely means revolution,” said Wang Shi.
In fact, it is well-reasoned if General Administration of Sport of China and National Water Sports Management Center elect an official to participate in the election as usual. Li Quanhai, the Director of National Water Sports Management Center and President of Chinese Rowing Association, is a good choice. The courage to take risks is needed to elect socialelite, especially an entrepreneur.
“My second response is feeling the trust for me. An official called me, which meant he took risks for me, right? He suddenly invited me, an entrepreneur to the election, just like give me a vote of confidence,” said Wang Shi.
Recalling the friendship with Li Quanhai, Wang Shi said that they only met twice without much communication, though they have known each other for twelve years.
“We met for the first time in the 2003 Round Island Regatta. It was my first time to take part in the competition. At that time he was the Vice President and Secretary General of Chinese Yachting Association.The other time we met in the conference of General Administration of Sport of China. We had no contact except saying hi. He impressed me for his organization work for the regatta, and afterwards he said I impressed him, too. He thought I was just an entrepreneur and I would quit in the beginning, but I insisted to arrive at the third site, even though we encountered the storm,” said Wang Shi.
There are quite many voices about the materialization and privatization of associations in sports revolution, but the inertia is too huge to be changed. The words cannot be turned into action, especially for the associations of gold-medal projects.
The revolution needs courage. Li Quanhai is brave enough to recommend Wang Shi to participate in the election for President of Asian Rowing Federation, and Wang Shi shows no hesitation.
(Subtitle) Throwing a Stone to Clear the Road
If we regard this thing as the “throwing a stone to clear the road” in the sports revolution, we could see the unexpected good results we have got within the past three months.
Wang Shi decided to raise the stagnant budget from 6,000 dollars to a million dollars in the first conference of the executive committee after his election. Wang Shi explained that, the income of Asian Rowing Federation came from the membership fees; each member paid 200 dollars, so the total amount from 30 members was 6,000 dollars. He hoped to introduce some sponsors to Asian Rowing Federationfollowing the examples of International Olympic Committee and Federation International de Football Association.
International Olympic Committee and Federation International de Football Association comes become successful because they have strategic partners and advertisers. However, the rowing sport only has a small amount of fans so there are no strategic partners or advertisers. But according to my understanding of the condition and years of experience of brand ambassadors, I believe I can change the situation,” said Wang Shi.
Wang Shi told us that the officials of Asian Rowing Federation are made up of two groups of people. One group is the rowing sportsmen who become the officials of international organizations after retirement; the other group includes many officials with military background from the rowing associations in Southeastern Asiancountries. Therefore, Wang Shi’s entrepreneur style makes they feel quite fresh.
“They don’t have enough pioneering spirit or strict organization so they feel excited about the fresh blood I have brought in. The first thing I stress is transparency and the other thing is the respect for different opinions so they are very happy,” said Wang Shi.
Being attracted by the new work style, some executive committee members even proposed to lengthen Wang Shi’s tenure in the first conference.
Wang Shi gets familiar of playing the role as a social activist like a fish in the water, in his words, “like a tiger with wings”. He goes to Britain and Asian countries frequently to preach his opinions and promote the rowing sport.
“I am quite like a tiger with wings. So do not mention the election, even if I have not got the position, I would be proud of being the candidate for Asian Rowing Federation and it helps me in promoting rowing sport in China. We have put forward the idea to learn from Japan Rowing, and now I am the President of Asian Rowing Federation, so it will be different if we go to Japan for connection and communication again,” said Wang Shi.
Wang Shi plays an important part in the promotion of Chinese rowing and turns the situation around subtly by his ability. Recently the “China Cup” Multiplayer Rowing Open Tournament held in Sihui, Guangzhou has been renamed as “ICBC Cup”. Originally there were only five teams, but the number rose to 20 after Wang Shi’s election. This was beyond the expectation of the organizer so that they had to cut down the number to 15.
“China has arrived at the point when rowing sport could be popularized. At present, the process of China’s urbanization has reached a certain degree and a few people feel attracted by rowing sport. Of course rowing will not become a popular sport like football, but China is a big country, millions of people will gather together for any minor sport,” said Wang Shi.
(Subtitle) The Stone Break the Fast Ice?
In the interview, when the reporter asked him whether other associations can follow the example of him to recommend social activists or entrepreneurs to be presidents or not, Wang Shi answered, “the revolution is definitely not accidental.”
He made a joke in the interview that the reason for his election might be “his superior convenience to go abroad over those governmental officials who have limitations so they choose him, the second choice to be the president”. But Wang Shi would be more willing to consider his election as the symbol of the courage and kindness of Chinese Sports Administration Organizations’ initiative revolution.
“The folk power is very huge now, so it will be great if we can mobilize the power. I have already done a lot of work in rowing, including supporting many folk clubs, actually this is next step I need. So Asian Rowing Federation invites me not because I have much energy but becausethis is the next step—when conditions are ripe, the success will come,” said Wang Shi.
After “throwing a stone to clear the road”, can “the stone break the fast ice”? Has the Chinese Sports Associations opened the curtain of revolution or not? For example, will the football association which receives great attention recommend some entrepreneurs who get deeply involved in football sport, like Xu Jiayin, Ma Yun or Wang Jianlin to take some positions in international organizations?
“Everything is possible,” said Wang Shi, “I will do the good job, because it will be the best example.”
Admit or not, heroes always carry a solemn mind, because they are lonely, because there are no followers behind.
As a person who shows special preference to some individual heroic sports like mountaineering, skiing and parachuting, Wang Shi does not want his action as President of Asian Rowing Federation become a kind of praise and worship for lonely heroes several years later.
Wang Shi would rather hope there are a group of partners climbing the mountain with him.
“China has his influential power, and the individual heroic times have passed away, so the whole situation will get better if the policy changes,” said Wang Shi.
If we have to learn something special from Wang Shi, then we could learn his whole-mind efforts into the sport. When he ran for the President of Asian Rowing Federation, Wang Shi met JCRoland, the President of International Rowing Federation, for the first time. Roland recognized him as “one of their own” the moment when they shook hands—he felt a layer of thick calluses due to long-time rowing. (The End)‍