Chinese media outraged about sexual abuse at top gymnast academy
There are calls for more information about the scandal, which has damaged the Hunan sports facility's integrity
The prestigious gymnastics academy that has churned out six Olympic medallists, including parallel bars master Li Xiaopeng, has found itself battling another, more damning distinction as a place where at least six young girls were sexually abused.
Revelations that the director and deputy director of the Hunan Gymnastics School had been arrested on suspicion of repeatedly molesting children entrusted to their care have been received with shock and outrage in the mainland media.
The media have asked how such an honoured institution could bury its sins so deeply.
Dean Liu Zhiqiang, 48, and his deputy, Zeng Rong, 52, were arrested three months ago, but the case was not disclosed until Wednesday, when it was reported by the Shanghai-based Oriental Morning Post. The victims are less than 10 years old and were abused over two years.
"Because of such a pattern, it's hard to say whether the parents sent their children closer to their gold medal dreams or their nightmares," the Oriental Morning Post said in a commentary.
Known as the "cradle of gold medallists", the Changsha school accepts the most promising gymnastics prospects from around Hunan and moulds them into world champions. Its alumni include Liu Xuan, who won gold on the balance beam in 2000, and Li, who took home four golds from Sydney and Beijing.