Martial arts can enter the Youth Olympic Games, which is an important event for Chinese sports, and it is also the embodiment of Chinese cultural confidence.
Xinhua News Agency, Lausanne, January 8th, martial arts entering the Youth Olympic Games is the embodiment of cultural confidence — an exclusive interview with Zhang Qiuping, secretary general of the International Martial Arts Federation
Xinhua News Agency reporter Luo Xinlin Deren Ding Wenxian
8th, at the IOC executive committee meeting held in Lausanne, Switzerland, martial arts was listed as the official competition of the 4th Youth Olympic Games, which was the first time that martial arts became the official competition of the Olympic Games.
Zhang Qiuping, secretary general of International Wushu Federation and chairman of Chinese Wushu Association, said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua News Agency that wushu is the representative of Chinese traditional sports and the treasure of Chinese excellent traditional culture. Martial arts can enter the Youth Olympic Games, which is an important event for Chinese sports, and it is also the embodiment of Chinese cultural confidence.
Cultural factors contribute to the entry of martial arts into the Youth Olympic Games
Zhang Qiuping said that there are three reasons for the International Olympic Committee’s recognition of martial arts as a Youth Olympic Games event: first, the International Olympic Committee believes that martial arts is a youth-oriented project. The training and competition venues are simple, and men and women are very equal, without any harm to the environment, which is very consistent with the whole concept of the Youth Olympic Games.
Second, martial arts are very popular all over the world, and the International Federation of martial arts has 155 member organizations around the world. The 4th Youth Olympic Games will be held in October 2022 in the capital of Senegal, which is the first time that the Olympic series of games will be held in Africa. Martial arts are quite popular in Africa, 39 of 155 member organizations come from Africa, and Africa has taken martial arts as a formal project in the 2018 Youth Games.
The third reason is that Beijing will hold the Winter Olympics in 2022. If Chinese sports enter the 2022 Olympic Games in the world, they think it is a very favorable connection and has a promoting effect, it can promote better preparations for Beijing Winter Olympics.
In addition to these three reasons, Zhang Qiuping believes that another very important reason is the cultural reason. “Martial arts is a representative of Chinese culture and traditional sports, a treasure of Chinese excellent traditional culture, and the essence of Chinese civilization for thousands of years. Martial arts can enter the Youth Olympic Games, which is conducive to the communication between young people of different countries, nationalities and beliefs. This is a popular activity that can expand the cultural exchange between the East and the West, it can also expand the channels for Chinese traditional civilization to go out.”
The Olympic Games are no stranger to martial arts
Zhang Qiuping said that in order to make martial arts join the Olympic family, the International Martial Arts Federation and the Chinese Martial Arts Association have been working hard, “the Olympic Games are no stranger to martial arts”.
In 2001, the International Federation of martial arts proposed to apply for martial arts for the first time to become an official Olympic event. Approved by the International Olympic Committee, the International Federation of martial arts, as a cultural event according to the mode and standard of the Olympic Games, during the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, the “Beijing 2008 martial arts competition” was successfully held. Luo Ge, the then president of the International Olympic Committee, visited the stadium to watch the competition and presented awards to the winners.
In 2014, approved by the International Olympic Committee, as a cultural and educational project, the “Nanjing 2014 Youth martial arts competition” was successfully held during the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games “, mr. Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, personally went to the stadium to watch martial arts competitions and exhibitions. Through the baptism of Beijing Olympic Games and Nanjing Youth Olympic Games, the project image and international awareness of martial arts have been greatly improved.
“In the promotion of martial arts, we emphasize that martial arts are not for fighting, but for fitness and physical strength. No matter who the opponent is, boxing ceremony will be held at the beginning and end, which is the embodiment of martial arts philosophy and spirit. Martial arts practice is to prevent force, which is recognized by the whole world, martial arts show the charm of Chinese excellent traditional culture, and also promote it to be gradually accepted by the world.” Zhang Qiuping said.
Martial arts entered the Youth Olympic Games and put forward higher requirements for martial arts innovation
Zhang Qiuping said that martial arts was promoted before. Now after martial arts entered the Youth Olympic Games, higher technical requirements will be put forward for the International Martial Arts Federation.
“Martial arts are divided into routine and Sanda. What entered the Youth Olympic Games this time was a routine project. The routine project was more of a level of display and demonstration, and there was no competition against each other. There is indeed a lot of work to be done on how to reflect the faster, higher and stronger requirements of the IOC in routine projects, “Zhang Qiuping said,” Next we should follow the Olympic standards, further reform the competitive rules and performance level of martial arts.”
Zhang Qiuping said that after 2000, the International Olympic Committee advocated the Olympic games to lose weight and attract young people at the same time. Including street dance, skateboarding, rock climbing, surfing, karate and so on are all favorite projects of young people. “This year or next year, we will launch international martial arts for teenagers. On the basis of the constant martial arts elements, we will design more routines that young people like.”