Hurdler Xiang to back cigarettes

Olympic hurdling champion Liu Xiang has joined China’s biggest cigarette maker as a corporate image ambassador.
Liu, 21, emerged from obscurity to win the 110m hurdles at the Athens Games.

“Everyone likes Liu Xiang and hopes he will ‘soar’ higher and faster, and maintain his sunny, healthy image,” said Baisha boss Lu Ping.

China’s Track and Field Association has sole right to negotiate endorsements for athletes, with income split between the athletes and the group.

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

Money money money! Besides morality being a factor here (scarface…perhaps you could start another thread on abortion and people who smoke cigarettes???), the guy made a good business move.

You’d think that being the world record holder and probably the most successful Chinese track athlete in history, he’d be able to land better endorsements than that.

Maybe the 7ft 6in NBA star Yao Ming can endorse clean air up there where he breathes?

the sad thing is, kids are going to start watching those cigerette ads and start smoking because they’ll think it will make them fast like that guy.