Ex-gymnast Sang Lan to Sue for US$100 Million

Sang Lan, a former Chinese star gymnast who broke her neck in the women's vault competition at the New York Goodwill Games in July 1998, said on Friday that she will sue the event organizers and an insurance company, china.cnr.cn reports.

Sang's attorney said Sang might demand nearly US$100 million in compensation from the organizer - AOL Time Warner, American Gymnastics Association and her American insurance company.

The lawsuit is set to be filed in a federal district court in New York later this month and the trial is expected to begin in June, her attorney added.

Sang was left paralyzed from the mid-chest down and has used a wheelchair ever since. She said many factors had prevented her from seeking justice 13 years ago, including the possibility that witnesses would be ordered by their employers to refrain from speaking about the incident.

Now several coaches and relevant personnel have retired, and they have nothing to do with their employer now. So the witnesses will not be ordered to say anything about the accident, according to the report.