China's swimming governing body suggested this week that Yu Fen is owed unpaid bonuses in the region of 25,000 yuan but the former national diving team coach has refused to accept this claiming it only represents a fraction of the true figure.

Deng Qun, a lawyer for the China Swimming Administrative Center, shows paper evidence on Monday to prove that national diving team manager Zhou Jihong is not linked to the embezzlement of millions of yuan of divers' bonuses as claimed by her predecessor Yu Fen. [Zhongti]

Yu has repeatedly threatened legal action against the body to acquire millions of yuan in bonuses won by her former protgs that she claims have been subsequently misappropriated by her successor.

But according to a list released Monday by the China Swimming Administrative Center (SAC), Yu was only owed 261,325.5 yuan ($38,300) and most of this pirncipal sum has already been paid. The SAC also brought to public attention the Regulations for the Distribution of Coaches' Bonuses showing how the numbers break down.

"We distributed the bonuses strictly based on these regulations," said Li Hua, director of the SAC. "So it is impossible that they would add up to millions of yuan as Yu alleges."

Li said the reason for the disparity between the two parties' accounts was unclear and called on Yu to clarify the matter.

"Since March, we have asked Yu to take a look at the detailed list three times. The regulations are very clear and I don't know why she still has doubts about the amount," he said.

The SAC finally revealed the list after Yu and her attorney earlier this month sent a letter to the State General Administration of Sport demanding a response to her accusation that national team director Zhou Jihong embezzled huge amounts of money that should have gone into Yu's pocket.

"With the publication of the bonus list, it is now up to other authoritative bodies to find further evidence that either corroborates Yu's claim or finds her culpable of abusing her position," said an attorney representing the SAC.

Yu calls it a sham

As one of China's most influential diving coaches, Yu, who has trained four-time Olympic champion Fu Minxia and reigning world and Olympic champion Guo Jingjing, refused to accept the validity of the list and made her personal statement hours after the SAC's announcement.

"The SAC said they gave me a bankbook in which they had deposited a 180,305-yuan bonus from the 2000 Sydney Games, but I have never seen such a bankbook, only an ATM card with about 130,000 yuan in it," said Yu, who left the national team following the 1996 Atlanta Games and went on to develop budding stars at Tsinghua University. Current national team members Lin Yue, Zhou Luxin and Wang Xin number among her former wards.

In support of its claim, the SAC brought out photographic evidence during Monday's press conference showing a bankbook bearing Yu's signature next to the deposit in question. Yu said the signature was a forgery.

Money list

The SAC showed Yu's bonuses as breaking down into four parts:

*25,343 yuan from the 2007 World Championships (unpaid)

*21,469 yuan won by her students at the 2006 Doha Asian Games (paid)

*180,305 yuan from the 2000 Sydney Games (allegedly received by a member of Tsinghua University's diving team)

*34,208 yuan from other international competitions (collected by others)

The SAC says the latter share was claimed by five substitutes who were authorized to do so by Yu, including two working staff, two athletes and one diving coach. All are members of Yu's Tsinghua team and all have submitted evidence to the SAC showing they have already transferred the money to Yu.

Yu claims that one of them, Ji Yong, has personally assured Yu she knows nothing of this and her signature too was forged.

But the SAC countered on Monday by claiming that it has asked Ji and other bodies to identify the signature and found it to be authentic.

Hometown spoils

Yu has also argued that she is entitled to bonuses stemming from prize money won by athletes in their hometown provinces - money the SAC claims it never received.

Chinese swimming law stipulates that Yu, as coach, would be entitled to a share of any money paid by local government bodies to athletes she once coached should they win at major international tournaments

"An official from Hubei province told me to my face that they awarded 300,000 yuan to a gold-medal winner and 200,000 yuan to a bronze medalist at the Beijing Games," said Yu.

"He said the money has been sent to the SAC, so where is it now?"

(China Daily November 19, 2008)