One day later, He Yiming rushed over from the capital.
In the room, all members of the championship team gathered together.
He Yiming said: "I checked with internal contacts and found out that the swimming association has been very cruel this time. If the little diving prince does not compromise and terminates the contract with his agent and entertainment company, he may be expelled. Kicked out of the national team.”
"Such a severe punishment? He has just won the Olympic championship, so he doesn't show mercy at all." Zhuge Wenbo realized the seriousness of the matter.
"He is also a two-time Olympic champion." He Yiming continued: "The Olympic champion, world championship champion, and World Cup champion in the men's ten-meter platform and ten-meter synchronized platform. It can be said that he is a grand slam in the ten-meter platform event. "
At this time, Xu Xiujie said: "The Hong Kong entertainment company that signed him also had business contacts with me. I got the news that the company offered a signing fee of 10 million Hong Kong dollars. This is already The price is comparable to that of a popular first-line niche player in China.”
Sports stars are not as rich as ordinary people imagine. With the fame and strength of the little diving prince at the time, he was definitely the top athlete in the country. But even so, 10 million Hong Kong dollars was something he would never earn in his lifetime. For this reason He even dared to give up his sports career when he was at his peak.
"If he is expelled from the national diving team, his fame and popularity will definitely drop sharply, and the entertainment company will also bear a lot of losses!" Zhou Hanlin asked.
"I feel like the entertainment company is gambling. However, once the Swimming Association's penalty decision is made, it will have a huge impact on us. I'm afraid that the Athletics Association will follow suit and disband our championship team and take back Zhang Guan's Commercial development rights, that would be troublesome." Zhuge Wenbo said.
Lawyer Liu Jing finally spoke: "We have signed an agreement, and we have an advantage from a legal perspective. We are not afraid of litigation. But I am afraid that the Athletics Association will not follow legal procedures, but will use some administrative means. In this way, I will not There’s a way.”
"How about taking advantage of public opinion?" Hong Zinan continued: "I can contact the media to help us build momentum."
"Difficult!" Liu Jing shook his head: "Sometimes, when the law is helpless, the media will bow its head."
Everyone fell into silence, obviously realizing that this was a difficult situation to break.
But only He Yiming kept smiling.
"Brother He, have you already had a way to deal with it?" Zhang Guan asked.
He Yiming showed a cunning expression: "If we can't afford to offend him, why can't we hide?"
"Can't afford to offend, can you afford to hide? Brother He, shouldn't you let me run away?" Zhang Guan didn't understand what He Yiming meant.
"Running away? Don't say it so harshly." He Yiming waved his hand and continued: "You are going abroad to participate in a competition and win glory for the country."
After He Yiming finished speaking, he placed a piece of information in front of everyone. This was the event plan announced by the IAAF in 2005. I saw He Yiming pointing to the season schedule and said: "Look, the Moscow Indoor Track and Field Championships are coming soon, and the Stuttgart Indoor Championships will be next. You should write an application now, saying that in order to maintain competition status, you request to go abroad. Participate in the indoor track and field competition. We proposed that we can participate at our own expense. If the central government wants to send someone to follow, we can also pay for the flight, food and accommodation."
"What a great idea!" Zhuge Wenbo clapped his hands and said, "If the association really wants to start a fight, it won't be able to find you. Participating in competitions abroad is a very legitimate excuse."
Just listen to He Yiming continue to say: "I will try my best to arrange for you to come back on February 5th, which happens to be the weekend, and then you will go to the rehearsal of the Spring Festival Gala. The Spring Festival is approaching, and you have to pay attention to it both officially and privately. Harmony, plus you have to attend the Spring Festival Gala, so you are safe at this stage. As soon as the Spring Festival is over, you can continue to compete abroad. You see, the IAAF event plan continues until the end of February, and you can also hide until the end of February. "
"What happens after that? There are cross-country races and walking races in March, and I can't participate. I have to go back to China!" Zhang Guan said.
"You have been participating in high-intensity competitions for a month. Your muscles are injured and need treatment. I believe you are safe during the injury. If they really dare to attack the athletes when they are injured, they will not be able to explain it emotionally or rationally." He Yiming said roguely.
Zhang Guan immediately understood that He Yiming was pretending to be sick. According to the underlying rules, there are many cases where athletes are punished before they become ill, but if they are punished after they become ill, it feels a bit like killing the donkey. The association will not do such a shameful and disgraceful thing.
However, looking at the intensive game plan in February, the intensity of the competition is indeed very high, and it is reasonable to have injuries. And after the high-intensity game, Zhang Guan really needed a rest.
He Yiming continued, "In April, the IAAF Grand Prix Series and the Golden League Series will start one after another until the end of early September. Then there will be the Tenth National Games and the East Asian Games, large competitions. I wouldn’t embarrass athletes before. The East Asian Games is over and it’s almost December. Isn’t this year just gone by? And as long as you can win a few championships during this period, it means you will have more Although it is impossible for capital to have an equal dialogue with the association, it at least has the power to speak."
"In fact, it doesn't take a year at all. It will take more than half a year. When the storm over the diving has passed and everyone no longer pays attention, that's it. The leaders are busy and won't always keep an eye on our championship team. I won’t let go.” Hong Zinan said with a smile.
"It seems that everyone has no objection to my plan!" He Yiming paused for a few seconds. Seeing that everyone agreed, he said to Zhang Guan: "Zhang Guan, in the end it is you who make the decision."
Zhang Guan thought about it seriously and felt that He Yiming's proposal should be the best plan. If the association really wanted to take action against the championship team, he would definitely not compromise. By using this delaying method, we can avoid a direct confrontation with the association, and we can also leave more room for each other, so that we won't really break up with each other. Even if we reach a compromise with each other in the future, the association will still be able to get by in terms of face.
"Okay, let's do it as Brother He said!" Zhang Guan said.
…
Field Management Center.
"Apply, Dear Leader: Since the National Track and Field Grand Prix Finals last year, I have not participated in any official competitions. Personally, I feel that my competitive state has declined. In order to maintain sufficient competitive state in the competition and ensure that I can compete in future competitions, If I have outstanding performance, can win more gold medals, break more records in competitions, continue to bring glory to my motherland, and live up to the expectations of the people across the country, I am now applying to go to Europe to participate in indoor track and field competitions (at my own expense, and can bear the cost of center staff), please approve it from the leader. Zhang Guan. January 5, 2005."
Director Luo looked at the application and felt a little baffled.
"What is Zhang Guan doing? He went all the way to Europe to compete at his own expense, and also paid for the center staff. I know you are rich, and you are as good as that person, but it takes a lot of effort to get back and forth. No? It's Chinese New Year, and the national team should also have a holiday. Why don't you just stay at home and celebrate the New Year..." Director Luo said to himself, and began to think about whether to approve it.
Director Luo looked at the title page outside the application again. On it were the words "Director Luo, please read." followed by Director Ma's signature, so Director Luo dialed Director Ma's phone number.
"Lao Ma, have you read Zhang Guan's application? Yes, do you think it is necessary to go to Europe to participate in the indoor competition?" Director Luo asked.
"Director, from a factual point of view, if athletes do not participate in competitions for a long time, their bodies will gradually forget the feeling of competition, and their competitive status will also decline. Sometimes, it is indeed necessary to regain their status through competitions." Ma. The director continued: "And Zhang Guan is also qualified to participate in the IAAF competition this year. It is the IAAF's Golden League and Grand Prix. Zhang Guan is eligible to participate. I think he is preparing to compete!"
"IAAF Golden League! This is a track and field league that attracts the world's attention, with a million-dollar grand prize. In the past, our country's athletes were not even qualified to participate, but this time they can finally get on this stage!" Director Luo's face He showed a happy smile. The invitation to the Golden League shows the recognition of the IAAF and the progress of the country's track and field. Director Luo looks forward to more Chinese athletes stepping onto the world stage and standing at the top of the world in the future.
Thinking of this, Director Luo's blood boiled with excitement, and then he wrote the word "agree" on the application.
…
In January and February, the temperature in Europe is still relatively cold, so some indoor track and field events are usually held at this time, which can be regarded as a warm-up for the following competitions. According to tradition, the first indoor competition in Europe every year is the Moscow Indoor Track and Field Championships.
The scale of indoor competitions will not be too large, and if an athlete like Zhang Guan, a world record holder, participates, the organizer will have to pay entry fees.
The scale of the event is small, the funds are limited, and the appearance fee is only a measly US$20,000. However, Zhang Guan does not care, because no matter how small the scale is, it is still an international-level competition organized by the IAAF, and even indoor competitions still have skill points. . Being able to earn skill points is not a loss for Zhang Guan.
It is still very cold in Moscow in late January, with the lowest temperature reaching 20 degrees below zero, and this coldness is different from the cold in the north of the country. The wind here is not very strong, so there is no feeling of biting cold wind. It's just a simple low temperature.
But indoors, it is very warm. Russian natural gas is very cheap. The hotel where Zhang Guan lives also has the heating switch turned on at full power, so staying in the hotel is still very comfortable.
Likewise, it was very warm inside the competition venue. The heating here is open 24 hours a day, so even if no one is around late at night, the venue is warm. Of course, the price of natural gas is only one aspect. The more important reason is that once the heating is turned off at night, the cold night will even cause frostbite to the heating vents, and the temperature in the venue will be unsuitable for competition the next day.
Zhang Guan is considered the biggest star in this indoor track and field competition, and he is probably the only world-class star. It is too cold in Russia this season, and the prize money is relatively small, so it cannot attract those big-name European and American players. Most of the athletes who come to participate are athletes from Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
The men's sprint event is obviously not the strong point of the strong men from Eastern Europe, so Zhang Guan's participation has basically been determined to be the indoor 60-meter championship. However, in the women's sprint event, the beautiful girls from Eastern Europe are very powerful.
Although there are no other big-name athletes participating, just Zhang Guan has made the organizers happy, and the sponsors' faces are no longer like the weather in Moscow. Especially when Zhang Guan appears at the competition venue, the sponsors' faces are full of joy. His expression instantly changed to that of a sunny beach in the Maldives.
"Zhang, it's great that you can come to the competition!" Vaskov, the representative of the organizer, excitedly gave Zhang Guan a hug, grabbed Zhang Guan and started waving to the surrounding reporters. After the reporters had almost finished taking pictures, they personally took Zhang Guan to the rest area.
"Welcome to Russia, what do you think of Moscow?" Vaskov asked.
"I just arrived yesterday afternoon and haven't had a chance to experience the scenery of Moscow." Zhang Guan continued: "But it's really too cold."
"Yes, it is indeed very cold in Moscow this season. The average temperature is about minus ten degrees! In fact, Moscow is the most pleasant in June. The climate is mild, there will not be too much rain, and there will not be strong winds. , you can go to the Moskva River and enjoy the beautiful scenery, but in this season, there is only snow." Vaskov changed his voice and continued: "Although you can't go to the Moskva River, there are still many attractions worth visiting in Moscow. , such as Red Square, the Kremlin, Arbat Art Street, and by the way, when you go to Red Square, you can also visit Lenin’s tomb. I know that you Chinese are still very familiar with Lenin.”
"Thank you for the introduction. I think I will definitely go if I have the opportunity." Zhang Guan replied politely.
"No, no, no, you misunderstood me." Vaskov said with a smile on his face: "Actually, I want to invite you to visit these attractions on behalf of the organizer, if you are willing. I don't know if you have any arrangements for tomorrow. If possible, we will send someone to take you to visit these attractions, which is our sincere thanks for coming to the game.”
Vaskov showed a very embarrassed look and continued: "Although our indoor competition in Moscow is the first track and field indoor competition in Europe this year, to be honest, almost no athletes from Western Europe or America came to participate. Our The prize money is much less than that in Western European countries, and we cannot afford the high appearance fees, so it is not attractive to star players. Your arrival is a big surprise for us, and the number of sponsors has also increased. Part of the sponsorship budget allows us to organize the competition better, so as the organizer, we very much hope that you can enjoy the competition and have a happy mood."
Zhang Guan thought for a while, and finally came to Moscow. It would be a loss if he didn't visit the local attractions. He turned around and looked at the escort assigned by the center, and found that the other person seemed to be looking forward to Moscow's attractions more than he did.
"Well, thank you very much for your kind invitation. I'm looking forward to enjoying the beautiful scenery of Moscow tomorrow." Zhang Guan agreed.
The third update has been sent, this chapter has 4,000 words. Please vote for me, please subscribe! Thank you for your support!
(End of chapter)