jason
08-15-2008, 02:37 PM
Officials: Dancer paralyzed
Organizers take flak for belated reporting
By Barbara Demick | Tribune Newspapers
August 15, 2008
BEIJING — After downplaying the incident, Beijing's Olympic organizers acknowledged Thursday that a dancer was paralyzed after a platform collapsed during rehearsals for the Opening Ceremony.
Liu Yan, 26, fell July 27 as she was rehearsing a sequence called "Silk Road," in which she was supposed to dance on a painting with swirling scarves around her. The sequence was supposed to last two minutes; Liu is now expected to be paralyzed from the waist down for life.
Making up for its belated reporting, China's official news media have spun Liu's tragedy into a tale of national heroism. She has been photographed smiling angelically from her bed at a Beijing military hospital, making a victory sign with her fingers.
"I'm not going to feel sorry for myself. I fell at the Olympics, but I will be back to create beauty for the world in one way or another," she was quoted as telling an official Chinese news service.
Although it is unclear when they first visited, the Chinese media are now full of reports of teary bedside visits from Olympic organizers.
"You sacrificed so much for the Olympics and for China," Opening Ceremony director Zhang Yimou was quoted as telling her.
Nevertheless, the Beijing Olympic organizers are taking flak for their late and scanty reporting on the accident.
Initial reports said Liu had missed a step and was lightly injured, and for two weeks afterward all news of the accident disappeared.
But after rumors swirled on the Internet, which in China often carries news that is censored in the official media, the Chinese government was forced to admit what had happened.
The state-controlled China Daily reported Thursday on its online edition that the accident took place when Liu leapt onto a movable platform that collapsed, plunging her into a 10-foot deep shaft where she landed on her back on a steel track.
She was rushed to a military hospital, where she underwent six hours of surgery. The newspaper described her condition as "high position paraplegia" and said she might remain paralyzed from the waist down.
From her hospital bed, Liu watched another dancer perform her sequence in the Aug. 8 Opening Ceremony before 91,000 people, including President George W. Bush and Chinese President Hu Jintao.
This is not the first controversy associated with the Opening Ceremony. The Chinese earlier acknowledged that that they used lip-syncing for a song because they thought the 7-year-old singer had crooked teeth and was not as cute as the girl who appeared to be singing. Fireworks displays were also enhanced for television.
Los Angeles Times
LINK (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-chinese-danceraug15,0,2964490.story)
Organizers take flak for belated reporting
By Barbara Demick | Tribune Newspapers
August 15, 2008
BEIJING — After downplaying the incident, Beijing's Olympic organizers acknowledged Thursday that a dancer was paralyzed after a platform collapsed during rehearsals for the Opening Ceremony.
Liu Yan, 26, fell July 27 as she was rehearsing a sequence called "Silk Road," in which she was supposed to dance on a painting with swirling scarves around her. The sequence was supposed to last two minutes; Liu is now expected to be paralyzed from the waist down for life.
Making up for its belated reporting, China's official news media have spun Liu's tragedy into a tale of national heroism. She has been photographed smiling angelically from her bed at a Beijing military hospital, making a victory sign with her fingers.
"I'm not going to feel sorry for myself. I fell at the Olympics, but I will be back to create beauty for the world in one way or another," she was quoted as telling an official Chinese news service.
Although it is unclear when they first visited, the Chinese media are now full of reports of teary bedside visits from Olympic organizers.
"You sacrificed so much for the Olympics and for China," Opening Ceremony director Zhang Yimou was quoted as telling her.
Nevertheless, the Beijing Olympic organizers are taking flak for their late and scanty reporting on the accident.
Initial reports said Liu had missed a step and was lightly injured, and for two weeks afterward all news of the accident disappeared.
But after rumors swirled on the Internet, which in China often carries news that is censored in the official media, the Chinese government was forced to admit what had happened.
The state-controlled China Daily reported Thursday on its online edition that the accident took place when Liu leapt onto a movable platform that collapsed, plunging her into a 10-foot deep shaft where she landed on her back on a steel track.
She was rushed to a military hospital, where she underwent six hours of surgery. The newspaper described her condition as "high position paraplegia" and said she might remain paralyzed from the waist down.
From her hospital bed, Liu watched another dancer perform her sequence in the Aug. 8 Opening Ceremony before 91,000 people, including President George W. Bush and Chinese President Hu Jintao.
This is not the first controversy associated with the Opening Ceremony. The Chinese earlier acknowledged that that they used lip-syncing for a song because they thought the 7-year-old singer had crooked teeth and was not as cute as the girl who appeared to be singing. Fireworks displays were also enhanced for television.
Los Angeles Times
LINK (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-chinese-danceraug15,0,2964490.story)