OpinionChina stifles Olympic athletes' own drive for success

Sports don't interest me at all, but I made it a point to watch the agonising end, yet again, to Liu Xiang's quest for Olympic gold. Dare I discuss why I think the talented athlete couldn't deliver the medal his country so craved? I ask because, as a non-Chinese, I am sticking my neck out to where it doesn't belong.

To give an example, I recently discussed in the Chinese-language media the appearance and habits of mainland visitors. A few hate e-mails followed. Some accused me of racism. As a Hong-Kong-born Indian, I found that particularly amusing. Aren't we supposed to be on the receiving end of it here?

If a Hong Kong Chinese had discussed the difference in mannerisms between mainland visitors and locals, as many have already done, the charge of racism would not have been made. The logic - questionable in my view - is that it is not possible to be racist towards your own race. But I'll put that aside for now.

While most on the mainland are trying to deal with the emotional trauma of lost national pride, some are finally daring to say it is precisely the obsession with Olympic gold that caused Liu's downfall. I agree with that, but as a non-Chinese I must tread carefully.

When you rid yourself of an inferiority complex, it doesn't mean you must replace it with a superiority complex. China had long rid itself of its past shackles of foreign domination and bullying. It is now a great nation and poised to be even greater.

Yet it lacks the confidence to give that greatness free rein to find its place in the world. It feels it needs to force that greatness on the world by doing things such as antagonising neighbours with territorial claims and drilling its own athletes into becoming robots programmed to win gold medals.