haha David Mercer said the same thing. Sounds like someone wasn't supporting Lin Dan Honestly, you have just won the OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL. After all those days and nights, and weeks and months and years of agony, hard work, blood sweat and tears. For that split second you realise you have become olympic champion, if the first thing you think of doing is go to your opponent to shake hands then clearly you are not human and do not appreciate the importance and grandness of scale of the Olympics.
That's no excuse. It literally takes 5 seconds to do it. Honestly, by your logic, you could excuse anything. It's just good manners and something I was always taught when I played at a reasonable level. Thank your opponent first, THEN celebrate, else it looks ignorant and as if you're rubbing their nose in it. I'd expect that of any player, LCW included. Interesting you mentioned the 'importance' of the Olympics, given the utter fiasco in the women's doubles. Sometimes, winning just really isn't everything.
Again, this is the Olympics. This is the gold medal. This isn't a national tournament final. Heck, it it isn't even a World Championship final. I can only speculate what it feels like to win the olympic gold, but I can only guess that for those brief moments following the winning point, the emotion of winning, the realisation of a dream, the cathartic release of years of effort and stress, overcomes professional etiquette. Of course, I'm sure if you won the Olympic Gold medal in Mens Singles, with the manners you have been taught when you played at a reasonable level, the FIRST thing you would think of doing is shake the opponent's hands (just like you would if you had just won your 1st round match) Am I right?
Oh come on none of us can actually say how he/she would react after winning an olympic gold medal, let alone twice in a row. The emotions just break out of you especially after winning 21-19 in the 3rd game. I think it's perfectly understandable to let out all that stress and pressure. It's not like Lin Dan didn't do it at all and it's not like he did it 10 min after the match. It was like 2 minutes after winning it. Lee Chong Wei also sat there for a minute realizing that he lost. He also needed a minute alone. Just don't overreact people. These two men have huge respect for each other and they showed it, after the match and within the match.
Whatever you have been taught would be thrown out the window when you had just won the Olympic Gold Medal in badminton in front of 1+ billion people. Don't for moment even speculate that you would be any different.
Point being, after the utterly inexcusable, disgusting efforts of the Chinese team (they were not alone) the previous week, I'd expect every effort to be made on their part to appear more sporting. I'm sorry, but you congratulate your opponent first. 'Emotion' is all good and well, but it's not carte blanche to behave how you want. Sportsmanship, sadly, appears to be bottom of the priorities in elite badminton these days and sadly on this forum too... I repeat: winning is not everything. I'm sorry you all seem to feel that way.
Yes winning is not everything, but we're just not as emotionally crippled as you, I'm sorry that's all.
Lin Dan is a horrible human being! He wins the 3rd set 21-19, becomes Olympic Champion and then shamefully lets emotion get the better of him!!! hahaha hahaha Lento you joker.
That's not really what LCW was trying to imply. You read him all wrong. I suffered an ankle injury a month before he did, and it still bothers me, i.e. pain every time I run, bike or play badminton.
On wild celebrations, let's be human. The players should be given a free pass for winning the OG, WC and the Cups, and also first time winners of a Super Series event. While the injury did play a role for LCW, I don't think he can play any better. Unlike four years ago, LCW gave a performance that anyone can be really proud of, except for the final result. The way he destroyed CL in the semi-final did full justice for his status as one of the great players of his time. A while back, in the LCW thread, I suggested LCW is horrible for a top player at judging line calls and he should practice more in windy conditions. Well, he did himself in once again at 19:18 and at the match point, not handling the drift properly. I would fault LCW and his team for not correcting this persistent problem.
However, the free pass shall be subject to an overriding Lento clause which states that if a scandal takes place earlier in the tournament, if the victor is the player of that offending nation, that player must execute handshake before celebrating.
It's somewhat depressing that nobody can extrapolate exactly what I was saying and instead would rather rush to post a reply. I'll repeat, because it doesn't appear to be computing with many people: I'm all for people letting out emotion, but thank your opponent FIRST before running around the arena. Is that really so hard to grasp, or am I "emotionally crippled" (weak insult, by the way) for saying that? It appears David Mercer, a very experienced respected journalist is 'emotionally crippled' too...
We (at least I) understood that, but at a moment like that your emotions are taking over and often your body reacts on it's on. Again I'm all for thanking your opponent, but this is the Olympics, if it was one of many Super Series tournaments or a Grand Prix event I would expect a player to be not as emotional, but at the peak of anyones sporting career, let him/her have that freedom of not shaking hands exactly 5 seconds after he he/she won ok?
yes, yes, Lin Dan should have shook LCW's hand before running around the arena. Lin Dan is just a selfish big baddy with no manners, isn't he?
Man oh man! What. A. Final!!! I thought it could have gone either way at the end. I feel honoured to have been right there witnessing probably the greatest match in Badminton History. Admittedly I'm more of a Lin Dan supporter, but in this instance I was really hoping Lee Chong Wei would take it. Alas it was not to be! I feel both players poured their heart and soul into the match. Congratulations Lin Dan! Commiserations Lee Chong Wei! Thank you both for such a legendary final!!!
I'm fairly sure that everyone here knows exactly what you are saying and there's no need to insult the people on this forum (now who's being rude? ) And people here are simply replying that when you win the Gold Medal in the Olympics in a tightly contested 3rd game where you were trailing 16-18 and come back to win it, your emotions may get the better of you.
You said that, not me. I simply said he should have done it; is sarcasm and exaggeration the best you can do to address my point?
Omg yes I always hated how every time there was a lift LCW looked down at the line. It messes you up...
Lento I admit you are right and "emotion" should not grant a player carte blanche to act in a manner which is detrimental to the spirit of fair play and sportmanship. Lin Dan totally abandoned the Olympic spirit (just like his teammates) by not shaking LCW's hand before celebrating.