Is Lin Dan cheating my tipping the shuttle?

I've never seen it...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-j-qLZTL9w

ｔａｋｅ　ａ　ｌｏｏｋ　ａｔ　１７：４８　ｗｈｅｎ　Ｌｉｎ　Ｄａｎ　ｃｈａｎｇｅｓ　ｓｈｕｔｔｌｅｓ．　Ｙｏｕ　ｃａｎ　ｓｅｅ　ｈｉｍ　ｐｉｎｃｈｉｎｇ　ｔｈｅ　ｅｄｇｅ　ｏｆ　ｔｈｅ　ｂｉｒｄｉｅ。　

 

Regardless of what he may (or may not) be doing to a shuttle on a few occasions, the simple reason why Lin Dan has an amazing record against Lee Chong Wei is because Lin Dan is simply amazing.

Besides, that would have been a lot of fiddled feathers if it was cheating which achieved a 22-9 head-to-head record.
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There is little profit in starting a thread that could quickly become inflammatory about tampered birdies (or air conditioning systems for that matter). Much better to say that they are two great players and that we fans have been privileged to see them in their primes.

 

In that particular spot, he's not tipping the shuttle. It looks like he's straightening a feather .... all in plain view of the officials and his opponent.
More offensive, by far, is about 10 seconds earlier when he's clearing his nose at the back of the court.

 

It's not unusual, even normal people and low-level players do it in practice. Not that big a factor.

 

smoothening out the feathers you mean... not clearing the nose at the back ...

 

Well said, Fidget, can't agree with you more. Precisely, at most you can say Lin Dan has the habit of straightening the feather(s), even Lee CW did the same at around 23:52 in the video.

Making a mountain out of a molehill, nah, it's not even a molehill. Exactly, "even normal and low-level players do it in practice." If anything, I'm pretty sure LCW will be the first to protest vociferously.

In table-tennis, many players have the habit of rubbing the ball on their shorts, some occasionally blow at it, a few even rub the racquet rubber with their palm or on their shorts. What effect does it have on the ball/racquet, cheating? Absolutely nothing.

What's more funny is none of Lin Dan's opponents or, for that matter, all the professional players, coaches and court officials ever notice it, maybe some did but thought nothing of it. Why ?

If it is an issue,just simply examining the shuttle immediately after anybody is caught doing it, not just Lin Dan is guilty of it, would expose the 'dirty trick'. Better still, petition BWF to disallow "tipping the shuttle" on pain of punishment, a fault that warrants a yellow card or , worse still,a point lost , and incorporate it into the Laws of Badminton.

 

Again in the video, you can see LCW fiddling with the shuttle at 28.22 and just before the 29th minute. Carry on watching and I'm sure you can see both of them doing that throughout the match.

 

To answer the OP, squeezing the shuttle or clearly tampering with the flight/speed of the shuttle is illegal. A yellow card can be given for misconduct for this.

16.6 A player shall not

16.6.2 deliberately modify or damage the shuttle in order to change its speed or its flight.

When it comes to straightening out the shuttle, it should be done 1 feather at a time (not all feathers at once as that squeezes the shuttle and alters its flight).



Btw, I've seen quite a few professional players squeeze the shuttle, especially when they request for a change. It's not uncommon.

 

If he was thinking to gain an advantage, LCW smashed the high serve down the line, so whatever LD did to the feathers was to LCW's advantage.

 

I see what you are saying it was a brand new shuttle he was not straightening it out and it was strange. As CST said tampering with the shuttle to change it's speed is illegal, just to make that clear. What was LD doing? just looked like some sort of tick. LCW checked the shuttle on the very next point so you can be sure LD had not tipped it.

 

i wonder if LD has a condition which when he is physically active his nose just runs? or maybe sweat just hangs on by the nose and won't let go unless he blows it? allegies?

 

If it's a habit, you just do it unconsciously most of the time, the reason behind it is not important, whether the shuttle is new or not. I'm pretty sure all Lin Dan's opponents, not least LCW, and all the court officials, umpires, service and linejudges and everyone watching on site and on TV know better.

I feel like saying the OP's thread is inappropriately phrased. Whatever his motive, he could have asked:" Is Lin Dan tipping the shuttle and, if so, is it allowed?" Instead , his implication is so negative and unnecessarily provocative (unintended?). To further imply that Lin Dan did it so many times without being caught by all the expert eyes is even more preposterous.

I was thinking, even if anybody tried to tamper with the shuttle, how do you control its flight and how do you know what shot your opponent is going to play and take advantage of it? Besides, getting caught "tipping the shuttle" just once or twice and duly punished is deterrence enough, who can be doing it time after time unnoticed?