Over the past couple of weeks, videos of some elderly individuals jumping off the bridge into the 7-meter-deep Haihe River in Tianjin attracted a huge number of views on various Chinese social media platforms. In turn, this attracted hundreds of people to come to the bridge each day to watch them dive into the river. Those divers would give an inspiring or entertaining speech to the crowd before their jump. Even He Chong, a retired professional diver who won gold in the men’s 3-meter springboard (跳板) at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, came to join in and jumped off the bridge. Some people have dubbed the bridge an “8A”-level tourist attraction, way above the 5A, which represents the top tier in China’s scenic area rating system.
However, the activity has got a bit over the top for some amateurs, who’ve failed to identify the hidden risks behind the exciting act. Members of the Blue Sky Rescue team said that they rescued 14 people at risk of drowning or other injury on Monday and Tuesday.
Members of the divers’ association said in an announcement on Wednesday that they would stop jumping from the bridge and turn to safer indoor venues, and asked diving enthusiasts to do the same. They explained that many of their divers had more than 30 years of experience, but the popularity of their activities at the bridge has brought with it risks that others with a lack of skill or experience might endanger themselves by trying to emulate their actions.
Tianjin’s swimming and health education associations released a joint statement on Wednesday, warning people of the hidden risks of the activity. Entering the water from such a height exerts (施加) an impact on the body several times its weight, according to a sports doctor. The associations asked people who want to practice diving to check their health status and risk factors, such as cardiovascular (心血管的) diseases, high blood pressure or severe myopia (近视), adding that they should choose appropriate venues with lifeguards on duty.
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