【新唐人2012年3月15日訊】李娜星期一（12日）在WTA皇冠級賽事「巴黎銀行公開賽」第三輪上擊敗鄭潔。在賽後的新聞發佈會上，李娜一句「參加比賽並不是為了國家」，引發了媒體和網民的關注。

據國內媒體報導，在印第安納威爾斯的記者發佈會上，有外國記者問李娜，比起因為和中國籃協關係緊密而發言謹慎的姚明，李娜顯得非常坦承，為甚麼她能這樣暢所欲言呢？

李娜回答說，可能很多人會認為她或許是下一個姚明，不過對她來說，自己只不過是一個網球運動員，打球不是為了國家，而只是為了盡力去做好自己的這份工作。

李娜坦言，講真話會令很多人恨她，但沒有關係，自己很開心。她還說，撒謊一次，就要用十倍的努力去掩蓋那個謊言，而自己不想那麼去做。

李娜的「比賽不為國家」傳回國後立刻成為民眾議論的熱點。支持李娜的網民在多個互聯網平臺上為她的坦率叫好。

廣西的網絡作家荊楚表示，國內體育界虛偽的東西太多，他對李娜的說真話表示讚賞。

荊楚：「她這樣一講真話大家都感到不可思議了，他(們)已經生活在謊言之中習慣了，講那些大而無當的話，那些氣壯如牛的話，而認為大家聽的是習慣的。李娜如果是講了真話，大家就感到不習慣了。」

不過中共媒體的報導卻不同調。《中新網》引用國家體育總局網球運動管理中心主任孫晉芳略帶不滿的話說，李娜是中國人，在國際賽場上當然是代表中國人去打球。

荊楚：「在中國這個社會上如果是說真話，做事誠實啊，你會寸步難行。大家都帶著個假面具，說著言不由衷的假話。本來這個打球呢，就是一個娛樂項目，動不動要為國爭光啊甚麼的，選手比賽動不動就政治宣誓，其實就是一個虛偽。」

《成都商報》體育部主任許紹連在微博中這樣寫道：「李娜沒說錯，她打球本來就是為了自己，跟幾乎每個人工作都是為了自己是一個道理。錯在她法網奪冠後很多人一廂情願的認為她是為國爭光，又給她陞官、又給她塑像，現在挨耳光了吧？！」

遍數世界體壇，幾乎沒有哪個國家的運動員像中國運動員這樣，動不動就要把「感謝國家」、「感謝人民」掛在嘴邊，甚至一不小心弄錯了「感謝父母」與「感謝國家」的順序，都要被人拿出來說道。 2010年，年僅18歲的中國速滑選手周洋，在溫哥華冬季奧運會上獲得金牌之後，立即感謝父母的養育和辛勤勞動，被中國國家體育總局官員批評沒有首先感謝國家。後來，周洋在接受電視臺採訪時首先感謝國家，感謝父母的話被排到了第五位。

事實上，李娜的「參加比賽不代表國家」只是基於一個簡單的事實，她在2008年奧運會後正式退出國家隊「單飛」，成為一名真正意義上的職業球員。從此網球只是她心愛的運動項目，而不是為中共貼金的手段。

新唐人記者易如、尚燕、郭敬報導。

Tennis Star Li Na, “Not Here for the Country”

On March 12th, Li Na (tennis star) defeated Zheng Hao

in the third round at the WTA Paris Indoor Open match.

In a press conference after the match, Li said, “I’m not here

for the country,” triggering attention from media and netizens.

Media in China reported that in a press conference in

Indian Wells, a reporter compared Li Na to basketball star

Yao Ming, who has a close relationship with the Chinese

Basketball Association and speaks with caution around the press.

The reporter told Li that she seems very relaxed, and asked

how she speaks as freely as she does.

Li replied, “Many people think, ‘Oh, maybe I’m the next

Yao Ming or something.’”

Li said she is only a tennis athlete, she’s not here for the

country, but just to do her job and trying her best.

Li said frankly that many people would hate her saying

real things, but that it doesn’t matter because she is happy.

She added that if you lied one time you had to use 10 times

the effort to recover from that one lie, so she didn’t want to do that.

Li’s “not here for the country” immediately

triggered controversy.

Netizens showed support in many online forums, praising

her words from the heart.

A writer in Guangxi, Jing Chu, said that there’s too much

hypocrisy in China’s sports, and expressed support for Li’s honesty.

Jing Chu (writer), “Many people feel her honesty is incredible.

Many are accustomed to living in an environment of lies,

in which people overstate and exaggerate.

Once hearing Li talk from her heart, they feel uncomfortable.”

However, the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) media

reported in a different tune.

Chinanews.com quoted comments from Sun Jifang,

a manager of the State Sport Bureau.

Sun said that since Li Na is Chinese, of course she

represented China while playing the international match.

Jing Chu (writer), “Living in China, if you speak from the

heart and speak honesty, you will be in a difficult situation.

Everyone lives with a mask and tells lies.

Playing tennis is just entertainment, the CCP forcefully links

itself with the name of winning honour for the country,

or has players take a political oath, that is hypocritical.”

Xu Shaolian, a director in the sports department of Chengdu

Business Daily newspaper, commented in his microblog,

“Li Na didn’t say anything wrong, playing tennis is for herself.

Xu said it is the same reason everyone goes to work for himself.

After Li won the championship match at the French Open,

the CCP said she won the glory for the country, promoted her,

made a statue of her, but in the end it seems they are getting

a slap in the face from Li.”

In the sports world it’s rare to find athletes whose behaviours

are the same as in China where they always chanting “thanks to the country, thanks to the people.”

If a player accidentally mixes up the order, he will be criticised.

For example, in 2010, an 18-year-old speed skater, Zhou Yang,

won the championship at the Vancouver Winter Olympics.

She first thanked her parents, but she was criticised by officials

of the State Sports Bureau because she didn’t thank the country first.

Later in a TV interview, she first thanked the country and

her parents were put in the fifth spot on her thank you list.

Li’s “not here for the country” is based on a simple fact.

She officially quit the national team after the 2008 Olympic Games to go pro.

Tennis is her beloved sport, and winning is not for the face

of the CCP.