Wed, Oct 09, 2002 page19

• Falun Gong exercises its freedom at Asian Games

  TOUGH AUDIENCE Members of the sect have been besieging journalists from China, while Taiwan's doctor says he is responsible for 10 percent of the nation's golds

  • By Jules Quartly / STAFF REPORTER
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  Where you find Chinese you will find Falun Gong, it seems.

  As befits the largest nation in the region, China has sent one of the biggest delegations and the most journalists, many of whom have been billeted in hotels along Haeundae Beach.

  Most mornings on their way to cover events and on their return late at night, they have had to run a gauntlet of Falun Gong adherents outside the subway handing out leaflets.

  

  Taiwan's Su Hua-hsieh attempts a lift during the Asian Games women's 75kg weightlifting competition in Busan, South Korea, yesterday. Su finished sixth in the competition.

  PHOTO: AP

  Preaching "truthfulness, compassion and forbearance," the local branch of the organization, which is banned in China, is happy to show anyone who cares some exercises.

  Translator and Falun Gong follower Ariel Song said she had been depressed and spent most of her time sleeping or visiting doctors.

  "Soon after starting my practice, I discovered that I was not sick anymore and had no need for my medicine," she said.

  

  Taiwan's Yuan Shu-chi aims for the gold medal in the women's archery final at the 14th Asian Games yesterday.

  PHOTO: AFP

  I was encouraged to try a few exercises, after which I was asked whether I felt more attuned with myself. I did not and told them perhaps Falun Gong did not work after all. Their reply was that I needed to practice more.

  I can confirm, however, that these exercises -- contrary to what the Chinese authorities might think -- are quite harmless. They are like low-impact yoga, a gentle stretching of the body and holding of a posture until one is a little bored.

  It can be also be reported, without fear, that these exercises are neither addictive, harmful nor likely to brainwash.

  Apparently none of the journalists from China have taken up the offer of free "practice" sessions and do not take the literature either.

  Doctor at large

  Behind every successful athlete there is a coach and a physio, according to Taiwan's basketball team doctor.

  "I believe that if I am involved deeply, inside the game, I can help [Taiwan] get more golds [medals]," Dr. Jim Chou said. "Maybe 10 percent of the medals are my golds, I have confidence abut this.

  "I think what we do is very important. Though the athletes have the key role along with the coach, I believe we [doctors.] have a major role too," he said.

  Chou said he used a mixture of Western and Chinese medical practices to help the athletes and found that techniques such as auricular acupuncture could get the athletes back in competition quickly.

  "Sometimes the athletes do not like needles so we cannot do this but there are many ways of helping them" back on their feet, he said.

  Even so, Chou said the best way to keep athletes on top form was to ensure that proper stretching was done before events and to ensure the correct diagnosis if they got injured.

  Home-court advantage?

  After the Taipei Times questioned the impartiality of judging at the bodybuilding finals it has been revealed that there was indeed favoritism.

  But not for South Korea.

  The Asian Bodybuilding Federation has suspended 59-year-old Katsunori Masaeda for two years for allegedly being biased toward his country's athletes in the event.

  In related news, the first disqualified athlete at the Asian Games was Lebanese Youssef El Zein, a bodybuilder who took the bronze medal in the over-90kg category.

  El Zein refused a doping test after his final and his medal was awarded to Choi Jae-duck of South Korea, which can now fairly claim it was the victim of an unfair decision.

  Finally

  The host country cannot be faulted for its hospitality. Cheering groups for the teams and banquets in honor of their guests have been commonplace.

  On Monday night, Taiwan's South Korean cheering squad treated around 30 athletes and officials to a meal and gave them souvenirs of their visit to the Games.

  Many of the cheerleading squads have been organized by local expatriate groups in Busan.
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