Badminton pundit slams BWF over medical ruling after Zii Jia's exit
New Straits Times
December 14, 2024
Lee Zii Jia is pushed off the court in a wheelchair after an injury during his men’s singles match against China’s Li Shi Feng at the World Tour Finals in Hangzhou on Friday. - AFP PICKUALA LUMPUR: If world No. 8 Lee Zii Jia had received immediate medical attention for his right ankle injury, could he have completed his World Tour Finals (WTF) Group A match against Li Shi Feng to advance to the semi-finals?
"This question lingers in the minds of badminton enthusiasts as the Badminton World Federation's (BWF) amended medical ruling, introduced last month, has drawn criticism for endangering players' health and physical well-being.
Under the new regulation, players are prohibited from receiving medical treatment during a game and must wait until the interval. Even the use of cold spray, previously provided by tournament doctors, is no longer allowed.
Instead, players must rely on their own spray or medical staff during breaks
Strapping for injuries is also restricted to intervals.
Zii Jia, having already secured a semi-final berth with victories over world No. 2 Anders Antonsen and Chou Tien Chen, was keen to finish his group stage with a win. He led 13-5 in the second game (having won the first 22-20) against China's Shi Feng before injuring his right ankle on Friday.
Despite his efforts to continue, Zii Jia was denied immediate treatment, strapping, or spraying by tournament officials.
Overwhelmed by pain, he retired while leading 15-11 and was taken off the court in a wheelchair.
Adding to the controversy, BWF's ruling states that all results are voided if a player concedes a walkover.
This led to Antonsen and Tien Chen advancing to the semi-finals instead.
Badminton pundit Datuk James Selvaraj condemned the ruling, calling for its removal.
"This medical ruling puts immense pressure on players and should be scrapped," said James.
"Players are already burdened by BWF's hectic schedule, and such regulations will jeopardise their physical well-being and longevity.
"Zii Jia was performing exceptionally and was a strong contender in the tournament. If he had been allowed immediate treatment, I believe he could have finished the match.
"BWF might have implemented this rule to prevent players from faking injuries, but the intensity of competition today leaves no room for such tactics.
"This ruling forces players to concede walkovers, negating all their hard work in a tournament."
James also highlighted that BWF's mandatory commitments for top-10 players contribute to the rising number of injuries among shuttlers.
Zii Jia was not the only player affected by the rule.
Malaysia's Goh Sze Fei, partnering Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, suffered cramps during their Group A match against world No. 3 Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen on Wednesday (Dec 11).
Denied treatment, Sze Fei hobbled through the match but recovered in time to secure a semi-final spot by defeating Taiwan's Lee Jhe Huey-Yang Po Hsuan and Lee Yang-Wang Chi Lin.
Similarly, Goh Soon Huat, who injured his ribs during a mixed doubles group match with Shevon Lai against Indonesia's Dejan Ferdinansyah-Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja, was forced to play on without treatment.
The Malaysians, however, persevered to reach the last four.
Indonesia's Fajar Alfian, partnering Rian Ardianto, sprained his ankle during their match against world No. 5 Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik.
Denied treatment, Fajar struggled through a three-game defeat.
"We are not happy with this new medical ruling and hope that BWF will review it. Players should be allowed immediate treatment when injured," said Fajar.
The debate over the amended rule is likely to intensify as more players voice concerns about its implications for their safety and careers.
