Li Menghua
Li Menghua was a Chinese politician who served as director of the Sports Commission of the People's Republic of China from 1981 to 1988 and president of the Chinese Olympic Committee from 1986 to 1988.
Li was a delegate to the 5th National People's Congress. He was a member of the Standing Committee of the 8th Chinese [People's Political Consultative Conference]. He was a member of the 12th [Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party|12th] and 13th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.
Career
Li was born into a family of farming background in Pingshan County, Zhili, on 10 November 1922. He attended Pingshan County Jianyi Normal School. In November 1937, he joined the propaganda team of the 358th Brigade of the Eighth Route Army as a propagandist. He joined the Chinese Communist Party in January 1938. Afterwards, he worked in the Jin-Cha-Ji Border Region for a long time.In November 1954, Li was transferred to Beijing and appointed director of the Sports Competition Department of the National Sports Commission, and was elevated to deputy director of the National Sports Commission in December 1960. He also served as chairman of the newly founded Chinese Wushu Association.
On 11 November 1961, the Chinese Weiqi Association was established in Hefei, Anhui, the than vice premier Chen Yi was elected as honorary chairman, and Li as the founding chairman.
In 1966, the Cultural Revolution broke out, and Li was sent to the May Seventh Cadre Schools in Tunliu County, Shanxi to do farm work. He was reinstated in 1971. On 10 September 1981, he was chosen as director of the Sports Commission of the People's Republic of China. On 15 March 1986, he was selected as president of the Chinese Olympic Committee.
On 9 November 2010, Li died of an illness in Beijing, at the age of 87.