chris, chinese players alway fight to the end against other nation players If 2 chineses don't play 100%, it should only hurt the chinese fans, not INA, MAS, or DEN fans. It is not a secret that chinese players plays for their country, not conforming to the usually format of other pro sports which focus on individualism. If u want to complain about match fixing, u should bring the matter to the chinese communist party. It is their national goal, no sports(yet), including badminton can supercede this national focus. ok, lets go deeper into the issue. Many pro sport fans would say only by true unrestrainted open competition would the best sportsman rises to the top. They may use federer, tiger wood etc as examples. However, is this the real only end all theory of bringing the best from an athlete??? Then i ask u, how come china dominates badminton (and table tennis, diving, etc) but yet they don't conform to that individualism in sports principle? Don't tell me LYB fixed every chinese vs chinese matches to achieve today's china domination results.
Before making this matching fixing practice as the given truth, consider the LL/XXF semi-final at OG. After that tough three-game match, both lost their next matches. It would have been so tempting to put in at least the "one-game" rule. Not that LL would have beaten MKY for sure, but her odds would have been much better if the semi-final was made easier. Three Chinese flags at the medal ceremony would have been a much desired scenario. It did not happen. That to me is an example of a match that was ripe for some "managing", but was a free fight. Unless, of course, you believe that LL was ordered by LYB to consume XXF so ZN would win gold. Well, Matches between teammates, Chinese or not, may lack the extra motivation as against other teams. That's just human nature. It does not mean the match cannot be exciting and it is not a proof that the matches are fixed.
There is an article in today's New Straits Times in which the BWF admits to being partly to blame for China's withdrawal from the SS Final.
I don't understand why you have this attitude that BWF should kowtow to CHN.BWF is a world federation of badminton BAs and CHN is just one of them.CHN did not withdraw. CHN made clear in 2006 and 2007 that they would skip SSF even when Li Ning was offered to sponsor it in CHN for 2007?Why should non-CHN SSF qualifiers miss out on their year-end bonus for two years just because of CHN's boycott?This time BWF made the right decision to go ahead.Most, if not all,of the players enjoyed themselves even when they lost.Fans got tremendous value for their money.I hope they stage it again in KK next year because the organisation was smooth and the resort like atmosphere is wonderful for recharging the players. It's more like a holiday for the players rather than grind.Great work, SBA!!! Let's face it. LYB has exacting standards and will only field CHN to win , not lose because he hates to lose face.When CHN don't participate, it just means they are not ready and prepared enough to win...for that particular tournament. This was tested by sending CJ to DO08 and FO08? He did not even get past QF although top seeded.CJ's supposed to be a solid player and consistent in his performance.CJ said he did not prepared well that's why he lost.The other reason possibly is he missed the herd confidence that comes with a big CHN contingent. Whatever it is,the prerequisite for winning a tournament is still comprehensive match preparations.That may vary with each player.Eg, TH the lazy one probably needs 50% effort,LCW 100%, LD 150%. No opponent owes a WR1, OG, WC, AG champion a win on account of their record.LYB is most aware of that and does not take chances hence CHN's 3-month camp to do well in AE09. I heard there's a chance of reducing the number of SS in CHN and HK to 1. So that SSF can be held in late Nov or early Dec.See how far BWF will go to accommodate CHN and solve the problem? Just lop off the last CHN SS.
Another Withdrawal Not sure if this would make anyone feel better... LYB just announced that the Chinese Team will skip the scheduled training camp in Sichuan, after the locals spent big bucks on renovating dormitories and buying new rubber floor mats in preparation for the training camp. With that kind of decision making, LYB should do well being a BWF official
I don't understand why the need for your above comment. What attitude? FYI, all I did was to mention that there was an article in the Malaysia's newspaper, the NST, which reported that the BWF felt it was partly to blame for China's withdrawal from THe SS Final.
I assume the facilities were not built / renovated just for 1 training event, right? If the facility belongs to the government (local or central), I am sure they will utilize it for other events.
california It was a great dream SF lineup, and for those who have not watch LD or LCW play while they are still at their best, or even TH and PG even though they are not at their prime, should go. It is different than seeing on video. But really sad to see <1/2 empty stadium even on final night, especially when the admission is so darn cheap compared to say, ice hockey, football, basketball. For US$179 for 9 separate admissions, I figured it costs <US$2.50 per hour and that is cheaper than McDonald 6-piece chicken, minus the coke and fries. I am not optimistic the game will come back to North America, in my lifetime, with the dismal attendance. For those bcers who so often express admiration and worship those chinese lady players in this forum, seeing those long-legged, fair-skinned players live would fulfill many a dream[/quote] u were in california wow
u were in california wow[/quote] Yeah, and I brought along 15 people to bodyguard me...4 stayed and watched the entire tourney over 7 days and these people never followed baddy, just love playing and when it was over, they actually thanked me and said what an experience. 2 snoozed in the air-conditioned stadium, probably dreaming to be LD or TH. The other 9 came and go with the season pass and hopped over to Disneyland, shopping, etc. One actually was 'stalking' around and managed to take a pic with Sally Yeh, and that was heaven. The 7-day pass costs US$179 and that is cheaper than 2 tickets to see ice hockey and still the stadium is <1/2 full if you deduct the players occupying the seats at finals.
Didn't you post earlier to that about how someone in BWF might have offended CHN and maybe that's why CHN gave SSF a miss? And I thought, wow,CHN's that great,huh but left it at that. But when you brought it up again, i thought some understanding of your thinking might be illuminating.Or maybe someone else wrote the earlier post?(You can check your post history.)My memory can be bad but not that bad.Mind-boggling posts usually get moved to my longterm memory.
Yes, you are right on the first para. In that context, which includes China withdrawing from, not one (SS Final), but from all 3 SS (2008 SS Final, SS Malaysia 2009, SS Korea 2009), I ventured an opinion that the BWF might have stepped on China's toe. One miss is understandable, but 3 consecutive misses does not appear to be a very friendly act. It looks a bit like a tooth for a tooth. But the above has nothing to do with the article on the NST which says that the BWF felt it was partly to blame for China's withdrawal from the 2008 SS Final. In this case I happened to come across the article about the 2008 SS Final in the NST and was merely posting it. The first was what I thought a reasonable assumption in the absence of more convincing reasons given for the triple withdrawals. Of course not every one will agree. The second was merely a reference to a newspaper article, which for no reason you saw fit to rant about me having an attitude problem. Maybe, a little care to be less trigger-happy is needed to avoid shooting innocent bystanders.
ok, our views differ. 1)SSF, MO and KO are not particularly favoured grounds for CHN to win, hence LYB regarded as no loss in not participating. 2) Also coincided with their 3-mth winter training camp.First time of 3-mth duration? 3) CHN team in transition so they need intensive training? For sure, CHN MS has more work now.LCW is not the only non-CHN MS to train for.CJ ,for instance, also has two more manuals to work on: SDK and ??? I can understand why CHN require 3mth intensive training.They have to, with evidence of shakiness outside CHN tournaments. 4) CHN can't just win in many tournaments like before so they concentrate on the ones that count.Prestigious titles count more than world rankings now.Yes,urgent for CHN to consolidate now.Nothing to do with BWF.
The withdrawals have more to do with scheduling than winning or lossing. Winter training has been a long time practice for Chinese athletes. They are just not keyed to compete during this period. With OG qualifying on the line, they will play anyway. Other than that, they choose to give up these competitions (not fully perpared or not showing up at all) and stick to their usual training cycle. If you hold OG in January in Malaysia or Korea, you will surely see the true CHN team. If terms of choosing tournaments to win, just ask TH. Players are not robots, they need breaks. Other teams pull out of tournaments too. MO and KO withdrawals have nothing to do with BWF. Although I think a winter break or summer break should be good for all countries. There is already an excellent thread addressing the issue of too many events. SS Masters withdrawal has everything to do BWF. Had BWF finalized the event well in advanced, the blame would be squarely on CHN team. As it is now, no one is blameless. Why take cheap shots at the CHN team? If they are really that shaky, there won't be so much scheming to limit them.
They are indeed training... ...and it's Zhang Ning doing LYB's duty...see pics here courtesy of sports.cn (now where's suetyan who usually does the picture uploading)... http://news.sports.cn/others/badminton/photo/2009-01-07/1714195.html http://news.sports.cn/others/badminton/photo/2009-01-07/1714164.html http://news.sports.cn/others/badminton/photo/2009-01-06/1713748.html
http://www.badmintoncentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64219&highlight=buddy note that if non-china team players withdraw, it's not a big fuss
