Will LYB retire after Rio? Yes, Cai Yun will replace him Yes, Zhang Jun will replace him Yes, some other person will replace him No, LYB won't retire in 2016 No, LYB won't retire before Tokyo 2020 None of the above (please specify)
only if he can be promoted to the president of the National Table Tennis and Badminton Association. he is currently the VP and Liu is seating very happy as president. LYB is an ambitious guy and this position is very lucrative I am sure.
I just realise that LYB previous boss, also a Mr Liu, is no longer on BWF Council. LLW is the only one on BWF Council who is from China.
Li Lingwei is doing well in that front. Not only is she in the BWF council, she has also been elected IOC member. strange though, that she is the deputy director-general of the Tennis Administrative Center of General Administration of Sport of China, after giving up the same post for Table-Tennis & Badminton.
It is very hard to imagine LYB retiring before age limit. Somehow he appears to be not the type. I suppose the results in Rio would decide if he gets the support of the Association.
I am of course speculating about LYB's future after Rio. My speculation is based on the following. I didn't know Mr Liu Fengyan (ie LYB former boss) is no longer sitting on the BWF Council. I thought he would serve his four-year term from May 2013 to May 2017. http://www.bwfbadminton.org/news_item.aspx?id=73919 I don't know when Mr Liu Fengyan left the Council, probably 2014 (just guessing). As most of you know, LLW and LYB do not get along very well. If LYB's arch-rival rather than his boss is sitting on the Council, I think it may affect his position after Rio 2016. (LLW's elevation to the head of tennis team in China in March 2015 seems to be a long-term thing.) PS: As for mentioning Cai Yun, I think i heard it from some commentator in China a long time ago that he is a possible successor to LYB. I can't remember who said it.
If I understand you correctly, you think LYB lost his protector? But it is not the head of the badminton and table tennis association that would decide? For Cai Yun, he certainly has the background for being a coach. But we rarely hear about his out of the court behavior.
I think there are several things which are clear since LYB's new boss came into office in Jan 2013. http://sports.people.com.cn/BIG5/n/2013/0125/c22176-20326668.html 1. The whole team is not doing as well as in the two previous OLY cycles. 2. LYB lost his patron both at the national and international levels. 3. LLW is on the rise. 4. Cai Yun is obviously retiring after 2016.
if China loses both the Thomas Cup and Uber Cup this year, then i think it is probable that LYB will retire after Rio. http://sports.sina.com.cn/others/badmin/2016-05-20/doc-ifxsktkr5800031.shtml But obviously performance at Rio will be the key.
i think cai yun would make a great coach. he has an excellent analytical mindset and vision for the sport. but, his independent and progressive thinking might not sit well w/ the 'party leaders'...
the call for him to step aside is intensifying.. http://2016.sina.com.cn/china/2016-08-21/doc-ifxvcsrm2078401.shtml
