. Just heard that Lin Dan will be absent in the coming China Open. Wonder what is going on? Here is the article; ====== * ====== start article ====== * ====== Coach under fire for Lin Dan absence ChinaDaily.com.cn 2011-10-13 Li Yongbo, head coach of China's badminton team has come under fire over the reasons behind top player Lin Dan's consecutive "strategic" withdrawals from a series of pre-Olympics tournaments this year. The coming China Open badminton tournament kicks off in late November and all the top ten players are supposed to appear. But Lin will be absent once again, following four previous "injury exits" that benefiting his teammates. "If it was due to 'strategic' consideration, I am responsible for that. But the truth is I am irrelative to it (Lin's withdraws)", Li said after being accused of "internal coordination" to make way for lower-ranked Chen Jin. According to the Olympics quota rules, the top-ranked four singles players qualify automatically with three at maximum from each country or federation. The BWF ranking updated on October 6 shows China has two with the top four (Lin Dan ranked 2 and Chen Long 3). Chen Jin is ranked sixth. China is a steady winner on world courts and badminton is dubbed one of the nation's top sports together with table tennis. It had a full quota of three men's singles players at the home court in the 2008 Olympics with Lin Dan and Chen Jin finishing gold and bronze. Li complained about the tournament organization in the Singapore series where Lin had diarrhea and draws which consecutively pitted Chinese players. "As teammates, they know one another so well so it is tough to win. As a result, injury is common." ====== * ====== end article ====== * ====== Source: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/sports/2011-10/13/content_13893873.htm .
China Daily should be a credible source. However, their translations are not always accurate. This is puzzling. If there is another source, such as Xinhua, where it is written in Chinese, that would be the best source. From logic, I would think that the China Open is one Lin Dan would not skip because it's so close to home. Also, Li Yongbo and Lin Dan have to give "face" to the CBA - the CBA, the China Open organizers, and Shanghai would not be happy if Lin Dan did not show up. Also, Li Ning is the sponsor of this tournament so I can't imagine that Li Ning would be too thrilled if Lin Dan didn't show up. That's why the China Daily article is puzzling. Hopefully, others will be able to find other sources on this issue.
I heard the same news too, regarding Lin Dan not competing in China Open. But I agree with greenday, this is China Open, I doubt Lin Dan wants to skip this one, unless he really is injured.
It'll be a much less interesting tournament without LD in in (at least for me). Still over a week left for more news to emerge.
. Looking at the dates of the above different sources, I believe that this BWF file is the most reliable one. As green_day commented, probably the translation of the 1st article was not accurate. .
There is a rumour ( let me put this way as we are not sure the truth is)...recently BWF has appointed Liu Feng Yen to be a VO , actually a strategy from BWF ( not sure how it works)...BWF has reminded CBA about fair play and recently all media and watchers paid close attention to LD whenever he plays with team mates .It has put a lot of pressure for LD...BWF knows that there is internal coordination but there is no way to prove it....LD is a soldier and always obey to the authority and remember that CBA still keeps his earning and Li Ning relies on LD on his brand... Now with Liu feng Yan comes on board, he has to make sure that he helps badminton and at the same time..he knows whats going on inside CBA and BWF puts pressure on Liu to make sure there is a fair play so far in FO, we have seen 2 WOs among chinese teams....not sure Liu will be able to help badminton for BWF or defend CBA for many WOs....anyway..thats my guess..please treat this as my opinion only...
Question is, from the OG points accumulation goal, can he afford to be absent? If so, he may have to make up for lost opportunity by playing two SS.
Seriously I do not see how Lin Dan will skip China Premier....if he skips then the rumour that LD has a problem with CBA could be true then...I think LD wont skip as toe injury could be healed in a few days...just dont see it coming...
Just been told that The exhibition between TH, LD, LCW and Gade will happen on November 10 in Guang Zhou..if LD skips, could be Hong Kong Open, not China Open..in my opinion
Here's more recent article: BWF official backs move to lighten players' load Updated: 2011-10-24 10:05 (Xinhua) YICHUN, Jiangxi province - Newly-elected Badminton World Federation (BWF) vice president Liu Fengyan said he backed the efforts to lighten the players' load and cut off some of required events. With a punishing schedule that runs from the beginning of January to the end of December, which features 12 BWF Superseries, 16 Grand Prix, Thomas Cup & Uber Cup, Sudirman Cup and world championships, many shuttlers have called for the revision of the calendar. According to the BWF world ranking system, the higher the level of tournament is and the farther a player goes, the more points are earned. Meanwhile, if a player or pair have competed in 11 or more world ranking tournaments, only the 10 highest points scored in their tournaments during the previous 52-week period count towards their rankings. "I propose small changes, cutting the 10 highest points to 6, to give players more rest between the tournaments," said Liu, China's badminton and table tennis chief who was elected as BWF vice president in September. "The current schedule makes players prone to injuries and could shorten their careers, especially damaging to those top players," added Liu. China's top shuttler Lin Dan retired five times midway in tournaments in the previous 12 months, and was ousted in the first rounds of Indonesia and Denmark Superseries. He was accused of throwing some of his matches against compatriots in order to help teammates gain valuable qualifying points for the London Olympics, a charge Lin has categorically denied. Liu also denied the accusation against Lin, saying fatigue and a tough schedule should be blamed for the player's withdrawals. "Top shuttlers like Lin always reach semifinals or final, after which they usually have no time to rest as the next tournament comes only a few days later," he said. "People don't understand Lin, because they want to see him playing on the court." http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/sports/2011-10/24/content_13960737.htm
21 point is to make sure players wont get injuries easily... again as I said.Liu Feng Yen should know that THERE IS INTERNAL Match Fixing...he should not deny it..I can tell if I meet him in Shang hai I will tell him in his face...even BWF knows about it...Dont tell me if LD gets injured all the time but next tournament he is fresh to play and wins...COME ON!!! Plus China players get WO all the time.....thats luxury treatment and advantages for china players....LCW plays all the time and gets into more finals than any players..and he is okay...just a BS!!! Gade plays all the time, mostly gets into SF and he is still okay despite he is 34 yrs old.
. Sometimes it's hard to understand CBA and/or LYB. On one hand, they asked to have less tournaments; On the other hand, they are organising an extra tournament for LD, LCW, PG and TH (the 4 most 'drained out' players currently). http://www.badmintoncentral.com/forums/showthread.php/103214-The-exhibition-of-4-kings-in-china .
So far, Lin Dan is ENTERED into the M/Q list. So, unless he withdraws in the last minute, there's no reason for him not to play in his home event.
. I hope that Lin Dan will play. We want to watch good matches between the better players. But no more walkover or retired matches please. Actually, I prefer Lin Dan not to put in his entry if later he is to give a walkover/retire. Why? This takes away another player's opportunity to participate in the tournament. .
