On the afternoon of November 6 2019, the retirement and rehire ceremony for Mr. Wang Xiaoping, third-grade Professor of School of Law, CUPL, was held in Conference Room A 913, Research Building, Graduate School. The ceremony was hosted by Professor Xue Xiaojian, Vice Dean of Law School. Jiao Hongchang, Wang Wenying, Lei Lei, Ma Hongjun, Zhang Xiaoshi, Jiang Tao, Yuan Gang, Wang Yinhong, Deng Jianxin, Zhang Liankai and some students of Mr. Wang also attended the ceremony.

Prior to the ceremony, all teachers paid silent tribute to Mr. Zhang Shizhong, master supervisor of Sports Law who had just passed away.

Dean Jiao Hongchang first delivered his speech. He highly praised Mr. Wang’s contribution to the construction of our school’s sports law discipline on behalf of Law School, and hoped that Mr. Wang could continue to give support to sports law research and our School’s work as always, and together with colleagues, to make the Institute for Sports Law Studies a model for our School or even our University. In the end, Mr. Jiao wished Mr. Wang good health and happiness in the future.

Professor Ma Hongjun, Director of the Institute for Sports Law Studies, next reviewed the 20-year cooperation of sports law research with Professor Wang Xiaoping. They started their research in 2000 and established the Research Center for Sports Law in 2002. At the beginning, they were just sharing common interest and publishing several papers, but later on, they had attracted many colleagues to devote in this field and set up a whole curriculum for sports law masters. Back in 2008, they had to wait the Beijing Olympic Games to supply them with opportunities, but now it has developed into a wild area for doing research and teaching. The former single course has developed into today’s courses of undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate, and cross-discipline systems with equal emphasis on theory and practice. Sports law research has gone out of universities and countries’ borders, reaching Asia, Europe, America and the globe, from the field survey to the nation’s think tank. Mr. Wang’s figure can always be seen, not only in the original 3-5 person circle, but also in the later strong team. He is the cornerstone an soul of the team. His passion, care and thought made this team’s strengths and achievements which could be seen by us all. Age forces him to retire, but the leadership of Law School decided to rehire him after retirement. What a wise decision! Professor Ma hoped that Mr. Wang could stayed young forever and continue to make great achievements with colleagues in the sports law field.

Then, Professor Wang Xiaoping thanked Law School for throwing him such a ceremony, and all the teachers attending it. He expressed his sincere feelings for the Institute for Sports Law Studies. Mr. Wang followed by introducing his own career, talking about the chance of attending the Institute. He also mentioned the help from his colleagues, which enabled him to accomplish more in the sports law field. It is sports law that made Mr. Wang’s success. And apart from thanks, Mr. Wang said, he would do more to reward Law School and colleagues, making the Institute a better place.

In the free speech session, Professor Xue Xiaojian expressed 3 feelings: first, she was moved by Mr. Wang’s selfishness; second, she conveyed the words of Professor Hu Ming, the party secretary of CUPL committee, that “Professor Xiaopin is the hero of CUPL, as long as I am available, I’d always attend activities hosted by him”. It further reflects Mr. Wang’s charm; third, Mr. Wang is super caring for animals. Then, Yuan Tao, Yuan Gang and Zhang Xiaoshi also recalled their relationship with Mr. Zhang and their feelings. A self-produce video reflecting Mr. Zhang’s life, research and work was shown by Mr. Zhang’s students, and flowers were presented to Mr. Zhang.

In the end of the ceremony, Dean Jiao Hongchang issued the letter of rehirement to Professor Wang Xiaoping on behalf of Law School.