544 A Guest Arrives (1/2)

Claude was instantly filled with pity when he heard this child was suffering from dwarfism. As a professional coach, Claude certainly knew that it was impossible for a dwarf to engage in a career in professional football.

”Sir, my son does have dwarfism, but his illness can be cured,” Frast said eagerly.

Claude nodded. ”As far as I know, there is a possibility of dwarfism being cured. The main cause of dwarfism is the lack of hormones necessary for growth and development in the body. If long-term injection of growth hormone were possible, it would be possible to let the patient grow to the height of a normal person.”

”Yes, my son has been injecting growth hormone for treatment!” Frast immediately agreed.

”Mr. Claude, as far as I know, Halls' Wagner's line has been closed. This is a professional report from a doctor,” Aguero whispered to Claude.

So that's the case, Claude nodded a little, finally understanding why the River Plate team gave up this talented teenage footballer.

Injecting growth hormones to treat dwarfism cost money, but compared to cultivating a talented player, that investment would be nothing. Treating someone suffering from dwarfism would cost at most tens of thousands of dollars, but for a potentially gifted player, the European giants would be willing to invest tens of millions of euros in transfer fees. There would be a huge return on this investment. Any team with an even slightly economic mind would be able to calculate that this would be a profitable investment.

However, many teams in Argentina, including the River Plate team, chose to give up this talented football youth. This was certainly not because the manager of the River Plate team was stupid, but because the skeleton of the talented football youth had closed.

In the human body, the cartilage between the epiphysis and the metaphysis appeared as a wide translucent band on the X-ray film during a person's early childhood. This was the so-called epiphyseal or Wagner's line. As one aged, the wide translucent band became shorter. When the epiphysis was completely ossified with the metaphyseal cartilage, the original translucent band would become a tight seam. This meant that the epiphyseal line was completely closed and the bones would stop growing.

After a normal person passed puberty, the epiphyseal line closed and it was difficult to regenerate the long bones in the body. The legs and arms did not grow longer, and people did not grow taller.

However, although the long bones did not continue to grow, the spine and inter-bone tissue could still grow. There was the common saying that ”people will grow taller when they turn twenty-three years old.”

For football players, it was acceptable to be a bit on the short side, but it was unacceptable if their legs were short. For Halls Frast, a football genius, it was really a fatal blow. It was like the death penalty to his football career.

”If you were in Europe, where there are better health services and better trainers, you might be able to save the child, but here in Argentina, the conditions are far less ideal. This child is a lost cause.” Claude felt pity in his heart. An athlete who had the potential to become the football king of a generation wasted just like that.

So Claude said some words of comfort, ”In actuality, even if the Wagner's line was completely closed, it isn't impossible for there to be a chance of growing taller. A nutritious diet, scientific training, and some treatment. This child still has the possibility of growing taller.”

The words of Claude, to everyone else who was around, sounded obviously like words of comfort, but to Frast's ear, these words of encouragement were more like a light, guiding him to the fire of hope.

”Sir, do you mean you have a way to make Halls grow taller?” asked Frast.

Claude was too embarrassed to say that he couldn't do anything in front of so many people. It might make him seem incompetent. As the top physical fitness coach in Europe, protecting one's ego and reputation was necessary. He had no choice but to nod. ”If I were to train him, there is indeed a possibility.”

”Sir, then I beg you, take my child away! As long as you can help him grow taller, let him continue to play football, I am willing to do anything,” Frast said with great enthusiasm.

”Sir, I think you understand that I came here to represent my club, so the final purchase of the player will also be decided by my club. I have no power to take anyone away,” Claude shrugged to show that he was helpless.

Frast also knew that his request was indeed excessive, but he still looked at Claude with a look of expectation.

Claud felt an unbearable feeling rise up in his heart. As a coach, when he discovered a young athlete with unparalleled talent, he did not want to see the athlete's talent be left undiscovered.

Claude thought for a moment and said, ”Sir, I know a person whose training may make your son grow taller. His standards of physical training and rehabilitation for athletes are higher than mine. I think if even he can't help your son, then no one in the world can help your son.”

”Who is he? Is he also in Europe?” Frast asked urgently.

”No. He is in America. His name is Dai Li,” Claude replied.

”Dai Li. This sounds like a Chinese name,” Frast said subconsciously.

”Yes. He is Chinese. He opened a fitness training center in California. You may not recognize him when I just say his name, but once I mention his title, you will definitely know who he is. I don't know if you paid attention to the Olympics these past few days. The American team won 27 gold medals in the track and field events, and Dai Li is the head coach of the American track and field team.”

”So it is him!”

As far as Dai Li's performance in the Olympics was concerned, no one would question his coaching ability. Moreover, everyone knew that an excellent track and field coach must also be an excellent physical fitness coach.

Claude took out a business card and handed it to Frast. He then said, ”I have worked with Dai Li once before, so if you go to the United States to find him, you can say that I introduced you to him. Show him my business card, I think he will meet you.”

...

Los Angeles, U.S.A.

Dai Li's training center had a special guest. He was the runner-up in the Olympic triathletes. The British athlete called Hansen Brown.

”Mr. Brown, I welcome you to my training center.” Dai Li looked at Brown with a smile,., He was very curious as to why Brown came all the way to the United States to visit his training center.

After the Olympics, Dai Li's training center had become, undisputedly, the best physical fitness training center in the United States. There were countless outstanding athletes, many of them were the world's best athletes.

In the sports of triathlon, Hansen Brown would definitely be considered one of the world's best. So far, he had won two Olympic bronze medals and was the runner-up twice in the Triathlon World Championship.

However, as a British athlete, Brown did not need to come to the United States for training, because the training conditions and training standards in Britain were already excellent. At least in regards to the triathlon, it was not in any way inferior to the United States.