Gold medals to lose a little of their luster

Ministry says it will downplay the importance of winning in assessing performance, giving rewards

China's top sports body has decided to downplay the importance of gold medals in assessing the performance of local sports officials. The move comes in the wake of scandals bred by the blind pursuit of glory.

The obsession with medals in Chinese sports circles has long been controversial. Medals may motivate athletes to train hard. But they also create incentives for such things as match-fixing and the use of performance-enhancing drugs when the rewards for winning at the Olympics or National Games are great.