China team ban driving after Kong scandal

BEIJING, July 27 (Reuters) China's national table tennis team have introduced a self-imposed driving ban during Olympic training, a sport official said today, after double gold medallist Kong Linghui was arrested for drink-driving last week.

Kong, who followed up his first gold in Atlanta in 1996 with success in Sydney four years later, was fined 1800 yuan (226 dollars) and had his license revoked for six months after crashing his Porsche into a taxi in the early hours of Friday morning.

The team had also banned itself from drinking, added the official, who declined to be named.

''The players are not allowed to drink or drive during Olympic training from now until after the Beijing games,'' he said.

The official, however, conceded that it would be hard to enforce during holidays.

''If a player goes home for Chinese New Year, how can we manage them?'' he asked.

The edict was part of a five-point discipline plan the national team released in response to the drink-driving incident.

Apart from a public apology, it also called on Kong to present a ''self-criticism'' to the team and have the team criticise him at special meetings, sports media portal Sina.com reported today.

The plan made no mention of whether his coaching role for the national team or his professional career in the domestic league would be affected.

Kong's coach in local Super League side Ningbo Haitian said he had not heard any order to suspend the player, the Beijing News daily said on Friday.

In a statement issued to local media, Kong apologised, promising to do more public interest work and pay society back.

''The country has brought me much glory... I ought to act as a good role model for young people,'' he said.

REUTERS DH DS1623