That article is not based on speculation about Chinese coaches' choices. It is based on prediction of what the BWF ranking numbers will show. Wang Yihan will be one of the top 2 ranked Chinese WS players when the rankings come out on Monday and Wang Shixian will not. In other words, the BWF's Race to Rio lists, which now show Wang Shixian as qualifier #5 and Wang Yihan as not qualified, will show them the other way around once the points from the BAC are added in. The same is true for the switches in Russian and Turkish WS qualifiers and in Thai WD qualifiers. What you say about Wang Yihan never having been 'out' is true, but by the same token, Chong Wei Feng is not technically out either. Since Malaysia can only send one player, BAM could theoretically choose the #66 instead of the #2 Lee Chong Wei, as they are both ranked ahead of the last MS qualifier. The article does, at one point, mention 'with 3 men’s singles players in the top 16, 5 in the women’s singles top 16 and three pairs in the top eight of women’s and mixed doubles, they should have lots of flexibility in case they decide that some qualifiers are not in top form' and this relates to what you say about Wang Shixian being a possible alternative choice for the Chinese coaches, as are Sun Yu and He Bingjiao.
I agree. It should be easy to decide. However, that doesn't mean the BWF will decide in the obvious manner. Take a look at this article on the 2012 qualification. In it, they were talking about making South Africa decide in the event that Hadi Hosny turned down her spot. The trouble is that Hosny was also 46th of 46 qualifiers (just as Lee/Obanana are now 16th of 16). She had the last spot and just happened to be the top African. The BWF article, written based on instructions from the BWF brass, says that even if Harrington got the next spot from Hosny withdrawing - making her 46th of 46 - her association would still have to choose. That is equivalent to the USA WD case this time, except that they already have the last spot. In fact, an earlier version of that 2012 article said that Canada might have to choose even though they had two continental doubles spots and then Michelle Li was the top Pan Am WS player and the fact that she was 17th of 46 qualifiers didn't make a difference. They did back down on the Canada case but apparently because of some ridiculous notion - which is nowhere in the regulations - about Li being ranking within the top 34 in the world. Anyway, just because it seems obvious to us that Lee/Obanana qualified outright, that doesn't mean the BWF won't do something that we consider illogical.
Sad. This time round no representatives from Singapore, none of the players qualified for Rio. If I am not mistaken they have 3 representatives back in London 2012. While Malaysia has 4 representatives, Vivian Hu/Woon just qualified.
In the singles categories, it's pretty difficult not to be qualified if you are the top player of a moderate badminton nation Sent from my supercomputer using Tapatalk
wow, this is serious even kate foo kune qualified to Rio. How does she fare against top 10 players, can take a game off them on a good day?
The BWF has announced the qualifiers. As I suspected, they are claiming Lee/Obanana have a continental spot: 'USA’s Eva Lee/Paula Lynn Obanana (Pan Am; featured image) are the sole pair to qualify on continental representation'. I'm sure the U.S. has to choose two pairs before Hong Kong announces whether Poon/Tse will go so that means a Canadian pair will go. Mind you, I'm interested to know how they will interpret the rules. Is it a matter of making the USA turn down a pair or turn down a category? If it's the latter, then they could still turn down WD, watch the BWF pass it along to Brazil, then wait for Poon to decide she can't play, then the BWF would have to go down the list and find that - holy crap! - the next available pair is still the Americans. Somehow I doubt it will work out this way, though. I'm afraid that one of Chew's partners is out of luck, along with the MS player who would have benefited from Chew going twice.
Yeah, BWF is making things difficult for itself and everyone else. It doesn't help that that Lee/Obanana is right at the in-between, can be interpreted either way, but BWF regulation must be more professional and cover every scenario with clarity. I guess their modus operandi is to mark all the top continental pair who are eligible (top 50) before going through the ranks. If the continental rep is also qualifying through ranking, then another place is opened up. If they do it this way, then Lee/Obanana would be only the continental rep. I'm ok if this is the way they want to rule it, but they must be consistent and must be clear about it.
I think badzine just made a mistake there... The US girls will qualify regularly and the US still can use their two continental spots. BWF doesnt say anything different anywhere
I think is a bwf problem, they should fight for more places. Just imagine, Olympics is the highiest event for badminton and yet they reduce the number of places I just don't undertand if this a way to promote badminton. Any of the top 16 should qualify to go, and allocate more places both singles and double. Even a 2, 3 tiers badminton events has 64 places. For double is even worst, only 16 places. The players fight each other like mad for nothing.
I think its for the better (that they don't go og), they're really not up to the mark, even after many years on the circuit and being a full time pro......save some tax payers money.....
True, no offense, I think they are merely passengers, expected to be knocked out in the very first round every time. Their places can be given to rank players who put in more affort and deserved more,
well, you can't said they didn't put in effort. if every discipline and events only invite the strongest irregardless of nationality, then the games will be boring.
It is the BWF's own article, not Badzine's, that says 'USA’s Eva Lee/Paula Lynn Obanana (Pan Am; featured image) are the sole pair to qualify on continental representation'. Reading that in a BWF article, do you still believe that the BWF will let the USA send all three pairs?
Well, if a very low ranked player plays against a top player, it will be even more boring and people won't watch since the result is expected.
If the article reported correctly, then they won't allow. But the US team should fight for it nevertheless, or at least ask for clarification.
Badminton in Olympics is always at the mercy of the Olympic Committee (or whoever is in charge). BWF can even fight for men's, women's and mixed team, but if the Olympics is adamant to reduce size and cost, there is nothing we can do. Luckily, they did not cut our XD, like they did for tennis and table tennis (which is justifiable, I may add). Secondly, Olympics is different in a way that nations send their best players to play against other nations' best players. Take a look at other Olympic events, they will also limit to 2 entries from the same country. If badminton does not show diversity, we're at the risk of being chopped from the programme.
