Two more female foreign-born players quit SBA

Discussion in 'Professional Players' started by Loh, Oct 9, 2008.

  1. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    I'm extremely sad to read from today's tabloid, "Today" that China-born Gu Juan and the taller Zhang Beiwen have quit the National team because of purported biased treatment from their Chinese coach.

    These two girls were talent scouted and came to Singapore when they were around 13 years of age. After 5 years of training and development, now they decided to leave. I'm sure they can help Singapore gain a final berth in the next Uber Cup now that they have blossomed at 18 and have international exposure and some creditable individual results. So it is very sad that they should leave at this stage. :(

    I certainly hope something can be done to redress the situation and enable congenial conditions to return to SBA for our talented girls to change their minds. They are still young and can contribute to Singapore's attempts to make a name in the badminton world.



    Today
    Friday, October 10, 2008

    S’pore’s badminton future takes a hit, as Gu and Zhang do a Li Li


    By Low Lin Fhoong

    NINE months ago, Singapore’s No 1 female shuttler Li Li sent shockwaves through the local badminton fraternity when she quit the sport, citing fatigue.
    .
    The 2002 Commonwealth Games gold medallist (women’s singles) was a member of Project 0812, a $7-million government initiative to help athletes achieve medal success at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and/or the 2012 London Games.
    .
    Since Li Li quit earlier this year, Singapore’s female shuttlers have failed to perform on the international stage.
    .
    At the Beijing Games in August, Xing Aiying crashed out of the women’s singles after losing 2-0 to Belarus’ Olga Konon in the round of 64, while Jiang Yanmei and Li Yujia were beaten 2-0 by Korea’s Lee Hyo Jung and Lee Kyung Won in their women’s doubles quarter-final.
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    Now, the women’s squad have taken another hit.
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    Today understands that shuttlers Zhang Beiwen and Gu Juan left the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) in April and July, respectively. The two players, who are both 18 years old, were part of the 10-member youth team — consisting of five boys and five girls — who beat Malaysia to win an historic bronze for Singapore at the 2007 World Junior Championships in New Zealand last October.
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    Gu was also a member of the silver-medal winning women’s team at last December’s SEA Games in Korat, Thailand.
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    Where to from here?
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    According to sources, Gu has returned to China to further her studies, while Zhang’s whereabouts remain unknown.
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    Graduates of the Foreign Sports Talent Scheme, the two players had received their citizenship in May last year, but quit the sport after disagreements with the women’s singles chief coach, Wang Junjie.
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    “The athletes felt the coach was only concentrating on Li Li and Aiying, and felt neglected,” an SBA source told Today. .

    The women’s team will defend their silver medal at the 2009 SEA Games in Laos next year, and reaching the SBA’s target of a finals spot in the 2012 Uber Cup could prove a challenge for the shuttlers.
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    “I think there will be a vacuum in the succession of players,” added the source.
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    “They will not be doing as well as the 2007 SEA Games ... and unless SBA are able to bring in champions, there is no way they can succeed in both the women’s team and individual events.”
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    SBA president and Minister of State for Trade and Industry Lee Yi Shyan neither confirmed nor denied the departure of Gu and Zhang when contacted yesterday.
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    “It suffices to say that SBA attaches great importance to players’ training and development, and building up a pipeline for succession,” said Lee.
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    “Whenever we are able to recruit strong players to the national team, our team get strengthened. Whenever we lose them or are not able to groom the younger ones in time to take over, our team would not be at the peak.
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    “Our immediate objective is to prepare for the 2012 Olympics, while taking seriously the SEA Games next year and other key tournaments between now and then to mature our team.”
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    Despite media reports that Li Li, 25, could return to the SBA at the end of the year, the association could not confirm the news when contacted, stating that it was not SBA’s policy to discuss individual players’ training and selection.
     
  2. zzz...

    zzz... Regular Member

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    i feel that SBA really need a major restructuring. it has been going downhill after winning the commnwealth game. may be to many politics rather than working towards winning.
     
  3. limsy

    limsy Regular Member

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    so...where will they go???quit baddy???
     
  4. Maz

    Maz Regular Member

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    Oh that's disappointing to hear. I saw Gu Juan at the World Juniors last year and she has a wonderful personality. Love those smiles on court when things are going good or bad!
     
  5. george@chongwei

    george@chongwei Regular Member

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    maybe they will come to represent MALAYSIA:p:D:D
     
  6. Dato A

    Dato A Regular Member

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    We dont need FOREIGN TALENTS......:D:D
     
  7. cooler

    cooler Regular Member

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    how about rexy:confused::D
     
  8. limsy

    limsy Regular Member

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    cooler...do rexy REPRESENT malaysia???:confused:...:rolleyes:...:cool:...;)...:D...
     
  9. cooler

    cooler Regular Member

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    i guess not, rexy is not a boleh guy. :p
     
  10. chris-ccc

    chris-ccc Regular Member

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    Hope that Li Li could return to the SBA at the end of 2008

    .
    Loh ... From this thread so far, I'm extremely sad to read that we can get treated differently just because we are born in different countries.

    Gu Juan and Zhang Beiwen could make it BIG... because they are both talented players.

    Hope that Li Li could return to SBA at the end of 2008 too.

    :):):)
    .
     
  11. kimir

    kimir Regular Member

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    Li Li to return? as a sparring partner or player?

    surprised that sba would want her back after she 'quit' the national squad just before the olympics. in any case her performance in recent tournaments before she quit were rather poor
     
  12. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    I totally agree with you Maz and I'm really sad and mad! :mad: Gu's frequent smile is amazing and it took us so far, 5 long years to develop them into what they are....oh dear! :confused:

    In fact Zhang, being taller, could turn out to be a better player. I've seen both of them grow and have high hopes in them.

    Undoubtedly Xing Aiying got most of the limelight because of her international victories and perhaps because of this, the Chinese coach showered her greater attention. But the other two girls in question, including Fu, are potential winners as well. Together with doubles specialists, Yao Lei and Sari, they form the bulwark of Singapore's women's team for the future.

    Changing a coach is much easier than producing more creditable trainees for Singapore. This makes things much more difficult and extremely unproductive. Again I hope somebody can save the situation now that so many changes seem to be happening all at once with the SBA.
     
  13. Iwan

    Iwan Regular Member

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    Btw, I heard the old Mr Zheng Qingjin is back in SBA again :( It's amazing how he can leave just about a year ago with issues and still be back there again. Sad~
     
  14. Maz

    Maz Regular Member

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    Look, if either of them would like to pursue both studies and badminton here in Sydney, I'll open my arms for them! That way, their talents aren't wasted...hehe :D
     
  15. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    It is also quite shocking to me as well that this can happen in Singapore. Maybe the new leadership in SBA believes in giving second chances. :rolleyes:
     
  16. zzz...

    zzz... Regular Member

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    I hope the new SBA chairman is not "sabo" by his staff by hiring this guy :D And hope he don't loose his position because of all these happening in SBA. :(
     
  17. gitee

    gitee Regular Member

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    Well, certainly hope not for Li Li to rejoin. Heard that she quit because she could not take the tough training of the coach. Which coach, like Rexy, would spend his own hours to train you if he is not passionate and not hoping for you to get results uh ?

    Also heard that Zhang Beiwen, the bad mouth who always uttered vulgar expletives not beffitting a Singaporean refined way, also liked to laze. The only exercise she did during training was to exercise her mouth, much to the angry-ness of her coach Wang. Needless to say, she was often scolded by the coach. So tak boleh tahan, she left the association. No joke uh ...she showed her middle finger at the Thai team during the Uber Cup qualifying tournament in Ho chi minh, after her match as the Thai supporters were too noisy supporting their player. The Thai players told someone.

    The Gu, though she did well in junior tournaments, she is too katik (short). She not likely progress far. She also lazy at fitness but I think she competition smart.
     
  18. chris-ccc

    chris-ccc Regular Member

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    Players from China are used to tough Badminton training from a very young age

    .
    gitee ... So surprised that you say that you hope not for Li Li to rejoin SBA. :confused::confused::confused:

    I met Li Li when she came to Melbourne for the 2006 Commonwealth Games. She showed great skills, especially with her skillful Dropshots. She is an excellent player.

    Players from China are always used to tough training from a very young age. So I have to disagree with you that Li Li could not take the tough training. I thought she'd possessed the heart of a lion within her small size of only 1.60m in height.

    Anyway, SBA have said that if Li Li finds her desire for active competition again, the door will be open for her.

    Here is an article about Li Li returning to Wuhan, Hubei.

    ====== * ====== start article ====== * ======

    The Straits Times
    January 31, 2008
    By Jeanette Wang

    Singapore's top woman shuttler, Li Li has thrown in the towel for good

    A Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) official yesterday confirmed with The Straits Times that the 24-year-old player tendered her resignation form the national team "late last week".

    Said the official: "Li Li cited personal reasons. The SBA respected her decision and has accepted her resignation.

    "But, if she finds her desire for active competition again, the door is always open."

    Yesterday morning, Li Li returned to her native Wuhan in China's Hubei province to spend Chinese New Year with her parents. She could not be reached for comment.

    Zhang Quigwu, who had coached the shuttler to her biggest win - the 2002 Commonwealth Games title - was surprised when told of the news.

    He said: "With the Olympics coming up this year, she had no reason to quit."

    Li Li, the world No 27, was on course to qualify for one of the 38 berths at August's Beijing Games.

    She was part of Project 0812, the Singapore National Olympic Council initiative launched last January with the goal of clinching the Republic an Olympic medal at the 2008 or 2012 Games.

    The project is armed with a war chest of about $7 million and comprises athletes from sailing, table tennis, shooting and badminton, including Ronald Susilo and Li Yujia (and her WD partner Jiang Yanmei, I believe).

    No doubt, Li Li's resignation a is a loss to the SBA.

    She was an integral member of the gold medal-winning women's team at the 2003 South-east Asia Games and the 2006 Asian Games runner-up team.

    But the SBA official added: "When the player really feels tired and needs a break, continuing is not something you can force her to do. We wish her good luck and we hope she has a good break."

    Known for possessing the heart of a lion within a pint-sized 1.60 m frame, Li Li came to Singapore in late 1997 and received citizenship in 2002. (She was from a pioneer batch of 3 or 4 girls from China.)

    She rose to prominence after stunning home favourite Tracey Hallam of England in the 2002 Commonwealth Games final in Manchester. It was the Republic's first Commonwealth Games badminton gold.

    But, since then, the Singapore Sports Council Hall of Famer has been plagued with knee injuries and has struggled to find her form.

    At the 2006 Commonwealth Games she made an early exit after falling to India's Aparna Popat in the round of 16.

    ====== * ====== end article ====== * ======

    :):):)
    .
     
    #18 chris-ccc, Oct 13, 2008
    Last edited: Oct 13, 2008
  19. gitee

    gitee Regular Member

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    Hey Chris .... I mean if she really cannot tahan tough training, then she better not rejoin. Bcause competition very tough out there with young ones coming up. See, our Mew Choo trains very hard, also have hard time. So needless to say, if a player is not willing to train hard, no point. Of course, if Li Li has changed and willing to work hard, she could re joins.

    Although china players all used to training hard, many who go abroad feel they need not train as hard as their chinese counterparts. Bcause in China, competition strong. You do not train hard, someone replace you what. In other countries, no strong competition.
     
  20. limsy

    limsy Regular Member

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    ya...i agree what gitee said...if zhu lin not go to hk next...but macau...will she train as hard as she in china team???:rolleyes:...
     

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