After Olympic debut, ice hockey’s future in China unsure

BEIJING – They made their Olympic debut as anticipated — with three straight losses. They’re outmatched and consist principally of international gamers. And now comes the plain query: Can China’s males’s ice hockey workforce kindle a ardour for the game in a rustic unfamiliar with it?

The squad’s first outing towards the U.S. wasn’t proven on the nation’s predominant sports activities TV channel, and a Chinese language Olympic delegation left the Nationwide Indoor Stadium in Beijing earlier than the 8-0 blowout ended. On Chinese language social media, chatter has been muted. “Is that this a Chinese language workforce?” requested one consumer on Weibo, referencing the roster drawn closely from North America.

Targets scored towards Germany in a 3-2 loss earned some reward on-line. Then the workforce was shut out 5-0 by Canada, which it faces once more within the knockout spherical Tuesday.

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“Most Chinese language don’t take note of it, as a result of the prospect for them to win a medal is nearly zero,” stated Xu Guoqi, a professor of historical past on the College of Hong Kong who has written about China’s previous Olympic aspirations.

Regardless of the dearth of Olympic mania for the workforce that has greeted stars like freestyle skier Eileen Gu, sports activities historians say to not low cost ice hockey’s long-term prospects in China, the place a rising center class is fueling curiosity in health and new ice rinks have popped up as part of a authorities pledge to popularize winter sports activities.

And although some discover it jarring to see China’s workforce stuffed with foreigners, consultants be aware that importing mercenaries to assist increase a sport in a rustic isn’t that uncommon across the globe.

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China’s recruitment of abroad gamers who may need Chinese language ancestry began after the nation received its bid to host this month’s video games, which routinely certified it to compete regardless of not having an expert hockey league.

Greater than half the workforce’s 25 gamers have been born in or grew up in North America, together with some with no ties to China. They’re listed with Chinese language-sounding variations of their names; U.S.-born goaltender Jeremy Smith, for instance, is “Jieruimi Shimisi.”

Even with its employed weapons and the NHL’s determination to not ship gamers to the Olympics within the pandemic, China thought-about pulling its workforce simply months earlier than the Video games to keep away from potential humiliation in entrance of the world. When requested what success for the workforce would seem like, a Chinese language hockey government was sensible: “Rating one purpose and higher efficiency. Not a catastrophe.”

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For gamers, transferring to China to naturalize was an opportunity to compete on the Olympic stage and depart an imprint on ice hockey in one other method – being part of its improvement within the nation. Workforce captain Brandon Yip, a Chinese language Canadian who performed within the NHL, thinks that’s already taking place primarily based on the messages he’s getting from native followers.

“All of the DMs we get on Instagram and Weibo and WeChat — the assist has been great,” stated Yip, who has three grandparents who have been born in China.

This month’s Winter Video games additionally come as sports activities tradition in China has been rising.

After a long time of financial progress, sports activities have turn out to be a method for China to diversify and proceed rising its economic system, stated Mark Dreyer, writer of “Sporting Superpower: An Insider’s View on China’s Quest to Be the Finest.” He additionally famous the wave of curiosity in sports activities amongst China’s huge center class, who more and more see it as useful for his or her youngsters, past specializing in simply teachers.

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Serving to gas curiosity might be the massive variety of Chinese language college students returning dwelling after learning overseas in locations together with the U.S. and Canada. In a rustic of 1.4 billion individuals, getting even a small fraction of the inhabitants into the sport may have a big effect.

“China’s single largest benefit is numbers,” Dreyer stated.

Nonetheless, ice hockey has an extended strategy to go in China, and the game’s future within the nation is much from assured.

Host nations attempt to put their finest foot ahead to have a very good displaying throughout competitions, but it surely’s uncommon for nations to maintain success afterward, stated Chad Carlson, a professor of sports activities historical past and tradition at Hope Faculty in Michigan.

China’s curiosity in growing ice hockey is also derailed if it doesn’t see outcomes shortly. In contrast with some comparatively area of interest sports activities with a restricted variety of elite athletes, ice hockey is lots tougher to interrupt into given the entrenched tradition and expertise pipelines within the sport’s powerhouse nations.

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In contrast to soccer and basketball, ice hockey additionally has a excessive barrier for entry because it requires entry to ice rinks, coaches and tools.

China’s efficiency on the Olympics will do doubt be a think about how shortly curiosity within the sport may develop — and when the nation will qualify for an Olympics with out routinely qualifying because the host. That’s not depending on simply wins and losses.

“In the event that they endear themselves to the inhabitants, then we may see some progress within the sport,” Carlson stated.

Within the sport towards Germany, a restricted variety of native followers allowed within the enviornment erupted in cheers when the workforce scored its two targets. Afterward, gamers stated they heard the chants and that the targets confirmed China may compete.

“This,” Yip stated, “is only the start.”

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AP journalists Stephen Whyno and Kelvin Chan contributed to this report. New York-based Related Press well being and science journalist Candice Choi is on project on the Beijing Olympics.