BWF is trying to bring badminton to a wider audience. It's also trying to move the sport into professionalism. Unfortunately as long as associations are involved, there will always be hindrances. Players will always have the security of the association to feed and care for them regardless of their performance level. Until players are truly independent and realize they have to fight for every cent, they will be puppets to the strings of their association. If/when that day comes, walkovers will be a much rarer thing. With the type of prize money currently on offer, players will need every cent to make ends meet. In the future when, we hope, prize money is decent, players will think twice about giving walkovers because of the money they will lose. I can't wait for that day.
I wonder what LYB will do . Ah ha...... As it stands at this 2011 All England tournament, LYB will need to think who is their best CHN WS candidate (in the top half of the draw) capable to defeat the winner of the bottom half with ease. IMHO, there shouldn't be much of a trouble for CHN to win the WS title. I think Wang Shixian would be selected by LYB. .
Although the subject is walkovers at then AE11, this type of thing happens at all levels of competition (Inc junior events) I have witnessed, and seen many W/O in Junior tournaments, where doubles partners are drawn to play against each other, one has withdrawn, but still plays Doubles event. This is in a way similar to what LYB does, one player withdraws in order to give the other player a easy passage to the next round. No questions ever asked as to why the withdrawal. I have also seen coaches "advise" players at junior levels to go easy, and maybe not "win" in order to send another player through. As they may have a better chance, (these players had came up from the weekend to play in a tournament) And I also have participated in W/O to help people. In a local tournament it was a round robin set up, with the winner of the group decided on no of wins, then points (1x21 no setting) after I no longer had a chance to progress, I "threw" my game against my doubles partner in order to allow him to progress to the next round, and lost with a certain number of points to allow him to progress on points difference. Although this is against the rules it was my decision and mine only (something CHN WS don't have a say in) and I did it as it helped my friend as well as stopping someone I didn't like from progressing.
If we were to promote Badminton as a good sport to watch, then it's a 'No' . The point is this type of match fixing is frown on by Badminton followers/spectators in our wider community. If we were to promote Badminton as a good sport to watch, then it's a 'No'. But If we were to fix matches to win, then it would be a 'Yes'. I think most of us wish to follow the best matches played, regardless who would become the eventual champion. .
If you are revering to the 4th paragraph of my post then... I agree it doesn't promote it as a spectator sport, although we did play out are game as if we were giving 100%. Yes it may be frowned upon but as I have said, I have seen coaches pretty much telling there players to throw games to give thief opponent a better chance in later rounds. Obviously what I did wasn't strictly correct. But I stand by it, I didn't want the other guy to win, as he has in the past started arguments withnme and others and cheated during games. If the same situation arose again involving the same players, I would honestly do the same thing. No matter how wrong it is.
When parties are not trying their best to win, I shall call it a 'boring' event . You are correct. Competition exists when both parties are trying hardest/best to win. When parties are not trying their best, I shall call it a 'boring' event to watch. .
In there lies the difference. In the professional world, who would throw a match willingly when they still have a chance to proceed???
professionalism people....! Just stick to it. else karma will happen to those who flout the rules or breaks it or going around it.
I want to agree with you, but i dont think i can. I agree why would you throw a match ? But this is team china we are discussing. Sure Liu or Li could have played Wang S and X today. Freely and fairly. They could also have played with a pre arranged winner. If Li or Liu played today after being told to let the opponet go through that would be worse IMO. If they played after being told by LYB to lose, but instead won the match, sure thats great as a spectacle for the unaware public, but for the player who was told to lose it would be really bad for them despite winning the game. They could face penalties, like being kicked out, salary/funding cut, banned from intl tournaments etc etc, disobeying LYB is something you dont do if you want to stay in the squad. Just look at Zheng Bo, a perfect example of what happens when you break the rules. So in general, winning that one match when told not to would be severly detremental for their careers, especially as they are young.
Lady Pi forced to play after surgery just to avoid being penalised, WYH will be penalised for skipping AE11, all becasue they ranked top 10...these are genuine injury cases...but for Li & Liu W/O, any penalty awaiting aheard? I wonder...they could be injured as well... Well, accept that this is how the world of badminton operates...acceptance doesn't mean agreement... for the sport, :crying::crying:for Li & Liu
I don't think that penalising players is the solution . I don't think that penalising players is the solution. Why? Because; currently most of the players' National Associations pay the fines, not the players themselves (unless they are independent players). .
You are right, Chris, is the association who pay fines...still, it is not right to fine association for players that undergo rehab
CHN has been dominating the WS and WD for years so they can afford to play to their "cards"... BWF is really "ball-less"... haha
All pros are carrying some sort of injury most if the time so proving a walkover is fake is very dfficult. I'd have soon have a walkover as have to watch some of the fixed matches I've seen. The only answer is for more countries to compete at the top with China
I think we should understand the Chinese coaches' point of view. For them, badminton is a team sport, not an individual sport. It is country against country, and they organize everything for that, paying for training, housing, education, etc. So when they end up sending 5 or 6 girls to the other side of the globe, to see them what they do everyday in Beijing is absurd. At some point, the hierarchy between the CHN players is meaningful, like in the semis or final. I have heard LYB commenting ZN and XXF's matches in some final and he was enjoying the battle. On the other side, if we consider badminton as an individual sport, then the outrage at those WO is justified. The solution is difficult to find. If we agree with the CHN team that bad. is a team sport, then we have to limit the number of players from each country. Then CHN have no choice to develop its internal competition so its numerous talents get occasion to play. This I am sure CBA can understand. Anyway, what is the point of sending Li Xuerui when you already send the Wangs?
Team Sport-vs-Individual Sport . This is the point that some of us BCers are asking BWF; (1) If we are to consider an Open tournament to be a 'Team Sport', then we should specify how many members are to be limited in a team (2, 3, 4, 5, etc......). (2) If we are to consider an Open tournament to be an 'Individual Sport', then we should allow as many players per country to participate in it. IMHO, it's best for all Open tournaments to be organised as (2), an 'Individual Sport'. Let the TC, UC and SC to remain as (1), a 'Team Sport'. If the above (1) is the selected choice for an 'Open' tournament, then I would not like it. Why? Because CHN, MAS, INA, KOR and DEN would occupy more than 75% of the draw. This will never get our Badminton popular worldwide. .
Ok, im just lazy to read back all the previous posts.. So many china walkover against china players AS USUAL! and this time, they gave reason of food poisoning or injury again.. the disease strikes again!
There must be a number of badminton players in the world who want to participate in big events - to earn money, recognition and learn how to deal with better players and pressure. Most of them will never get a chance to participate because the present Chinese badminton army is higer ranked and they take up the play slots. Meanwhile, Chinese will continue fielding players and ordering them to give walk-overs. So, essentially a 64 player field is not full - why should we count players who just gave walkover. These spots could have gone to much deserving players from other countries - that could have helped badminton grow there. These walkovers are not only destroying fans confidence in sport, it also is ensuring we never get more decent players from other countries. Remember, Badminton is a lousy paying sport. Those playing it are doing so more for their love to sport otherwise they would have moved to tennis/soccer/golf - where a ranked 1000 person can earn more than top 10 baddies.
"There were scoreboards - small ones behind each court that were turned towards the fans" lol and someone in another thread was saying that the fans couldn't see the scoreboards - so neither the players nor the fans could see them and lol @ TH: "I don't think he was really good" Thanks for the find, demolidor.
