BEIJING - Touted as a celebration of sport, culture and national unity, the
Ethnic Minority Games held in southwestern China descended into a farce of
cross-dressing cheating and mob violence, state media reported.
Athletes representing China's 55 ethnic minorities assembled in southwestern
Yunnan province last week to compete in blow-pipe darts, horse-riding events and
other traditional sports.
But blind pursuit of victory lead to some unorthodox tactics, Xinhua news
agency reported.
Results of the women's dragon-boat racing event were reviewed after athletes
complained of "big women with Adam's apples," Xinhua said. Referees subsequently
found that several of the competitors were actually men wearing wigs.
A dispute between a team from the games' host city, Zhaotong, and another
from Wenshan city in Yunnan province over the result of a wrestling final turned
into a brawl, Xinhua said.
The Wenshan team was eventually chased away by a local gang with blades and
sticks called in by the Zhaotong team, Xinhua said.
"I've never seen violence and ugliness like that," a reporter at the games
told Xinhua.
The nationality games have been held eight times in Yunnan province, where 25
of the country's 56 ethnic minorities live.
"The tenet of the games is to develop the minorities' characteristic sports,
build up their health and increase national unity," Ren Muzhen, the chief
organizer, told Xinhua.
Coaches blamed the unruly scenes on the pressures of having career
advancement linked to results.
"Coaches and local officials still concentrate on medals and results in this
games," a coach told Xinhua.
"They have to think about every means to get better results."