Li Xiaoshuang, a champion in gymnastics with two Olympic gold medals, is directing criticism towards the coaching staff of the Chinese national gymnastics team.
At the Paris Olympics this week, the men’s team fell short of expectations, ultimately securing a silver medal.
Li emphasized that the athletes alone should not be held accountable for the team’s performance at the Summer Games.
“The coaching team has problems. We must not lay all the blame on the athletes. If they did not succeed, it’s because the coaches made mistakes,” Li, now 50, expressed in a live online broadcast that was widely shared on Chinese social media, as reported by Reuters.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
China wins silver in the men’s team final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Bercy Arena in Paris on July 29, 2024. (James Lang-USA Today Sports)
Li also advocated for a significant change in the way the sport is approached within the country.
“Our athletes are aging. Sports need fresh talent. We must revamp our training and selection processes,” he stated.
The average age of the five gymnasts who represented China in Paris is 26.2 years.
US MEN’S GYMNAST STEPHEN NEDOROSCIK GOES VIRAL AS HE SHINES ON POMMEL HORSE: ‘AMERICAN ICON’
Li first achieved Olympic success in the floor exercise at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, followed by another gold in the all-around at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
Xiao Ruoteng, aged 28, and 24-year-old Su Weide made crucial errors in the final round of the all-around event, leading to a significant loss of the three-point advantage China had over Japan after the first five routines.
Li Xiaoshuang performs at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, on July 24, 1996. (Tony Duffy/Allsport)
Li expressed the emotional distress he felt while witnessing the Chinese team compete at the Olympics.
“Watching the competition caused me great anguish. It was truly painful. A strong team needs an effective leader. China possesses a remarkable gymnastics squad, but we are missing the necessary leadership, which is a significant issue,” Li reflected.
An overview of men’s gymnastics qualification during the Olympic Games at Bercy Arena in Paris on July 27, 2024.
“Su was assigned at the last moment and received minimal training. We lack young athletes aged 18, 19, or 20. How can we ensure success at the next Olympics?” asked Li, recalling that he was only 18 when he first won an Olympic gold medal.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Li criticized the country’s shortcomings in producing high-caliber gymnasts for the vault since Cheng Fei, who secured gold in the women’s team event 16 years ago.
“We excel on the beam and perform decently on the uneven bars, but the state of our vault is inexcusable! Our routines have not evolved since ’92,” Li remarked.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
