By Duncan Mackay

Wang ChengrongMarch 6 - A Chinese coach who was awarded a 1.5 million-yuan ($238,000/£151,000/€181,000) bonus after he helped athletes win four medals, including three gold, at the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing has been suspended from his job for refusing to give the money to his employer. 


Wang Chengrong (pictured above), who used to coach former world half-marthon champion Sun Yingjie, was seconded to work with some of China's top disabled runners on the eve of the Games three years ago.

He coached Zhen Zhang (pictured) to victory in the men's 1500 and 5,000 metres in the T11 category and Qi Shun in the T12 marathon, who set a world record of 2 hours 30min 32sec. 

Zhen Zhang_wins_T11_5000m_Beijing_2008
Chengen He, another of his runners, claimed silver in the men's T36 800m. 

The victories helped China finish top of the overall medal table with an incredible 211 medals, including 89 gold, and Wang was one of several coaches given the bonus last October by the China Disabled Persons' Federation in recognition of the success.

But The Qinghai Provincial No.1 Sports Team, Wang's full-time employers, have demanded he gives them 80 per cent of the cash so they can begin "redistributing" it.

After Wang refused he was suspended.

After several meetings with Wang, the Qinghai No. 1 Sports Team threatened to take "other measures" to force him to hand over the money.

But Wang is determined to hold out even though it could cost him his career.

"The award was given to me personally," he said.

"Why would I give it away?"

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