Former star gymnast seen begging, again  

前体操运动员张尚武“重操旧业”：在地铁卖艺

Zhang Shangwu, a former star gymnast, performs handstands on Beijing subway.

File photo of Zhang Shangwu.

(ECNS) -- Zhang Shangwu, a 31-year-old retired gymnast, has been spotted begging on the Beijing subway, the Qianjiang Evening news reported.

Wearing a red shirt bearing the word "China" and the national flag, Zhang performed gymnastic moves on the train, the newspaper cited a passenger as saying. He also placed a cardboard sign in front of him with his name written on it.

This is not the first time for Zhang to make headlines for begging. He was chased out of the Wangfujing commercial street area by Beijing police in 2011 for engaging in "unauthorized begging and street performance."

Zhang was once a shining gymnastics star, when at the age of 18 he won two gold medals at the 2001 Beijing Summer Universiade. His gymnastics career came to a stop in 2003 when he suffered a tendon injury, China Daily reported.

In 2007, Zhang was caught stealing athletic equipment worth 30,000 yuan ($4,643) from the Beijing Xiannongtan Sports School and sentenced to three years and ten months in prison.

Zhang drew media attention again in 2011, when Chen Guangbiao, a high-profile entrepreneur and philanthropist, gave him a job that paid 11,000 yuan a month.

Zhang later quit the job over accusations that he was only a publicity tool for Chen.