China is set to implement standardized national-level athletic examinations starting in 2024 to standardize the college recruitment of aspiring sports students. As of 2020, 283 universities had enrolled young athletes, a departure from conventional sports schools that solely focus on training. The recruitment of athletes to universities started in the 1980s, but was initially challenged by meager budgets and resources. The dividends of these efforts, however, became evident in the ensuing decades. For example, Hu Kai from Tsinghua University secured the men’s 100m championship at the FISU World University Games in Izmir, Turkey in 2005. Nowadays, to avoid deceitful admissions and academic dereliction by athletes, the country tightened supervision over accreditation tests and embraced flexible teaching. With the conclusion of the 31st FISU in Chengdu, Sichuan Province on August 8, experts are convinced that China can nurture athletes who excel in both sports and academics.
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