Ever heard of any other sport with automatic entry for the defending champion? The wild card is a special case that is given after some decision by the organizing committee. It is up to their right and privilege to whom and whether to grant a wild card. Don't like it, then get on the committee.
LD was having an argument with his National Team management and was prevented from playing in the qualification period. He was not "relaxing" and avoiding the hard work. By not giving him a slot, the BWF just played into the hand of the National team managements, not allowing the players to compete freely.
Not sure how you guys think, but to me, everyone should earn enough point and rank to qualify. While other players have to play and maintain their rank, even risk themselves with injury, someone just rest and wait for their ticket to compete at 100%. Lin Dan absolutely can enter the WC if he ever wanted to, just start his campaign 2 months earlier, he would be qualified by now. Btw, things are settle now, we should stop talking about Lin Dan and WC2014 now. Maybe heading to JOJ, LCW, ... is better, at least someone who qualified.
"Used to" is correct http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification According to this article, except the host, 31 teams have be determined by qualification process.
Interesting, do you have anything to back this up? As I know individual players still can play (like Simon Santoso, Lee Huyn Il). I don't know if the association have the authority to forbid any individual to participate an event. Even if he is not happy with his association, he can play for another association. I am sure many other associations will happy to have him on the national squad. Of course he need to change his nationality then, but seems that impossible.
We have discussed that previously, it is about money. The sponsorship money is now all given to LYB, who divides it and gives it to the player according to his own criteria. LD wants to have directly his own sponsorship money. That is why he was able to leave the team sponsorship of Li-Ning. but is was a big fight and during that period LD was not allowed to play for the team. i know in many places a player can go independent, but that does not seems possible in China. I regret that.
And then never got back into the game. The problem there (if I am correct) is the national association holds the registration for entries into tournaments. So, if the national association holds complete power, the player doesn't have any backup unless moving to another association. Then, it is not that easy as the former association has to notify BWF to de-register the player.
yes, i think BWF should just cancel WC2014, without LD no purpose for WC and when LD retire, i think BWF should close down too and badminton game all over the world should be stopped.
No need to be absurd, one way or the other. But if we count the number of people practicing badminton over the world, it must come as one of the biggest. But when we see its place among the professional sports, it is far from being in the front row. So there is something wrong in the way professional badminton is managed. The way its biggest star is put asides, for a number of reasons, is a small affair, but it shows we are going the wrong way.
What if BWF were to suddenly grant LD a wild card tomorrow, I doubt he would take it... considering that he probably haven't prepared or trained well enough for it. He'd most likely turn it down instead of going into it not as well prepared as he was last year or the years prior.
Best chance for LCW to grab the title! Its now or never! But I have a feeling he won't win it..look out for JOJ, KT and CL..think 1 of these 3 may get it.
