Huang Jianxiang
Huang Jianxiang | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 20, 1968 Wuhai, Inner Mongolia, China |
| Occupation(s) | Sports broadcaster, television presenter |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Known for | Football commentary, FIFA World Cup coverage |
Huang Jianxiang (; born January 20, 1968) is a well-known Chinese sports broadcaster and television presenter who formerly worked with the state-owned China Central Television (CCTV). He earned acclaim for his football commentary, particularly during events like the FIFA World Cup, German Bundesliga, and Italian Serie A. Huang also served as a lead commentator for CCTV during several Olympic Games, including Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, and Turin 2006.
Huang became internationally noted during the 2006 World Cup match between Australia and Italy, where his fervent support for Italy stirred controversy and drew criticism from peers and media outlets. He left CCTV in November 2006. Following his departure, Huang collaborated with multiple Chinese satellite channels such as the Hong Kong–based Phoenix TV, CSPN sports network, and regional broadcasters across Ningxia, Xinjiang, Shenzhen, Jiangsu, Shandong, Zhejiang, and Tianjin. Additionally, he contributed content to LeTV.com.
Beginning in 2013, Huang has hosted Only You (非你莫属), a job-focused game show on Tianjin Television.
Biography
Born in 1968 in Wuhai, Inner Mongolia, Huang was raised in a family passionate about football; both his grandfather and father were early advocates of the sport in China. The family relocated to Nanjing in 1977. Huang attended the High School Affiliated to Nanjing Normal University before earning a bachelor's degree in foreign languages from China Foreign Affairs University in 1990. He joined CCTV as a sports commentator four years later, in 1994.
Huang made his debut on CCTV-5 during the 1995 Copa América, working alongside veteran commentator Li Weimiao. His coverage spanned major competitions including the 1996 Summer Olympics, 1996 European Football Championship, Asian Cup 1996, the 8th National Games (1997), the 1998 FIFA World Cup held in France, the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok, and the 1998 African Cup of Nations. By the late 1990s, he had established himself as one of China’s foremost sports commentators.
His repertoire grew to include events such as the FIFA Women's World Cup 1999 in the United States; Sydney 2000 Olympics; the 2002 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by South Korea and Japan; Athens 2004 Olympics; and the 2006 FIFA World Cup hosted by Germany.
The incident
On June 26, 2006, during a FIFA World Cup match between Italy and Australia, Huang Jianxiang’s live commentary on CCTV revealed a clear pro-Italian stance to millions of viewers across China. His enthusiastic narration celebrated Italy’s triumph while sharply criticizing Australia’s squad and coach Guus Hiddink. Huang emphasized Italy’s rich football heritage and praised players such as Grosso, Totti, Cannavaro, and Maldini.
Initially defending his partiality by referencing previous grievances with teams resembling Australia’s style, Huang’s remarks sparked extensive viewer complaints and media backlash. In response, CCTV substituted his commentary during replays of the match. The following day, Huang issued an official apology via state media and online platforms, admitting to his biased approach. He was subsequently absent from commentary duties for the next game.
Contrary to speculation about his dismissal, Huang returned to provide commentary for the Germany versus Argentina match on June 30, 2006. He continued covering games afterward, including the final between France and Italy held in Berlin on July 9. During these broadcasts, he collaborated with fellow commentators.
Reactions following the match
Huang's emotional reaction ignited extensive discussions across both China and Australia. Zhang Bin, director of CCTV Sports Channel, reproached Huang for a lack of professionalism and impartiality, even suggesting that resignation would be appropriate. Conversely, many supporters mobilized online to defend him against termination, and numerous satirical renditions of his commentary circulated widely on Chinese internet platforms.
On November 16, 2006, Huang tendered his resignation from CCTV, citing the necessity for a personal hiatus. Jiang Heping, CCTV’s sports director, clarified that Huang’s departure was a private decision and was not connected to the controversy surrounding the World Cup.
Professional endeavors post-CCTV
By December 2006, Huang had accepted an offer from Hong Kong-based Phoenix TV, favoring their financially attractive proposal over those from Hunan and Chongqing Television. It was reported that director Zhang Guoli encouraged Huang to explore opportunities in acting. That same year, Huang published his memoir Not Fighting Alone. In 2007, he made brief appearances in the films Call for Love and Kung Fu Dunk, as well as hosting the program "The Games Everyday" on Phoenix TV.
Huang briefly resumed football commentary in November 2007 on Guangdong Television but departed from Phoenix in January 2008 due to unsatisfactory viewership ratings. In October 2008, he joined CSPN, a sports syndication network, serving as commentator and strategist responsible for coordinating sports broadcasts across various regional satellite channels. He exited CSPN at the end of 2009 following contractual disagreements.
In June 2009, Huang co-launched the digital magazine Zui Tiyu ("Extreme Sports") hosted on Sina.com and presented a talk show during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He also appeared in the film Killing Paul the Octopus amid World Cup celebrations. Starting August 2010, he took on hosting duties for The Stock Market Goes up Every Day broadcast by Ningxia Television and First Financial TV Network (CBN).
In February 2011, Huang lent his voice to the character "Brutus" in the Chinese-German animated feature Little Big Panda. The following month, he introduced an intellectual discussion program titled "Tianshan Theory and Practice" on Xinjiang Television. Later that year, he hosted CBN's "Exemplary Chinese Professionals," Jiangsu Television's Huayang Nianhua, served as spokesperson for online trading platform eMoney.cn, and led Shandong Television's The Legend of Songs.
April 2013 marked the start of his hosting role on Zhongguo Xing Tiaoyue, followed by Tianjin Television’s Only You in July and LeTV.com's Huang Duanzi in August.
In 2014, Huang acted as chief strategist for the music video "Ole Ole 2014," which featured leading Chinese sports commentators promoting the FIFA World Cup held in Brazil.
Publications
Huang Jianxiang authored Teases on Soccer (歪批足球) in 2000, offering an analytical overview of significant soccer matches domestically and internationally, addressing tactics, championship frameworks, and football culture.
His second work, To Struggle as a Man, I am that Commentator (像男人那样去战斗 — 我就是那个"说球的"), released in April 2006, serves as an autobiography recounting his career as a sports commentator since 2000 while providing candid perspectives on Chinese and international soccer alongside major global sporting events.
Additionally, Huang published an autobiography entitled Not Fighting Alone (不是一个人在战斗), drawing its title from a memorable phrase featured in his notable commentary during 2006.
Personal life
Huang was married to Sun Ying from 1998 until their separation in 2006; they share a daughter named Jiabao, with custody reportedly awarded to Sun. Chinese media have connected Huang romantically with Super Girl contestant Jane Zhang. It has been reported that he entered into a second marriage in 2012 and has two additional children.
On August 20, 2009, Huang started sharing posts on Sina Weibo, where by June 2011 he had gained over 5.6 million followers and published more than 12,000 entries.
