Former Olympic champion hurdler Liu Xiang has caused a stir again.
The athlete, who was made a delegate to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference two years ago, admitted he had to rely on ghostwriters to get his new job done.
Speaking shortly after his arrival in the capital for this year's session of the country's top political advisory body, which opens today, the 2004 champion in Athens said he was ready to present his first proposal, but it was not one he had prepared himself.
'Frankly, it was put together by others,' China News Service quoted Liu, 26, as saying. 'I have been too busy for training and don't have time [for the proposal.]'
The report said the proposal under Liu's name suggests coaches of top athletes should get better training and, more importantly, better pay.
But Liu did not appear to be fully satisfied with it. 'If I had written it, I would have focused more on things about athletes,' Liu said.
Liu is scheduled to appear at the opening of the CPPCC session today, but it remains unclear whether he will be able to make it to panel discussions because he plans to have intensive training sessions for a track meet starting in Doha on March 12.