Heartbreak for a Badminton Player due to Walkover

As the last article told, Ye Zhaoying was obliged to give a walkover to Gong Zhichao. It was not the first time. Nor it was the last time.

In the past few years, Chinese sports people placed the scores at a higher position than any other thing. When taking on the foreign players, Chinese team (especially some dominance event) will make a relative arrangement according to the opponents’ characteristic to make sure that the champion belongs to China. It is not a secret any more.

As for the battle of the semi-final between Zhang Ning and Zhou Mi in Athens Olympic Games, some people also had questions about it. At that time, Dutch Mia fought her way out of the Chinese surround to enter the final. Another spot would be chosen from Zhang and Zhou. Then Zhang easily won her compatriot and successful beat Mia in the final. But we could not draw the conclusion that walkover occurred because there was no proof.

The first walkover incident was discovered to the public due to the famous He Zhili’s going away. The world No.1 table tennis player He Zhili did not follow the instruction of walkover from the coach and beat his compatriot Guan Jianhua. Though she won the title, she was out of the candidate list of 1988 Olympic Games. With great angry she went out of the Chinese team for Japan.

Another walkover in 1988 was admitted by the participant. Jiao Zhimin, Li Huifen and Chen Jing represented China to play table tennis in Korea Olympic Games. The draws were Jiao Zhimin facing Li Huifen and Chen Jing encountering a Czechish player. The two games ran at the same time. The coach asked Jiao to give a walkover to Li Huifen for that she had ever lost to the Czechish before. Jiao lost the game as the coach’s direction.

But to her surprise, Chen Jing, on her side, edged the Czechish. In the battle for the bronze medal Jiao Zhimin also beat the Czechish. It showed that there was no need for anyone to do a walkover in the tournament.

After retirement, Jiao told her friends that she had done 5 walkovers which broke her heart especially in the Olympic court during his 8-year table tennis career.

Things have changed with the passage of time. Most Chinese people agree with that all the players have the right to compete fair and square. It is quite shaming that walkover occurs in the sports no matter how beautiful the excuses are.

Beijing Olympic Games is coming. Chinese State Physical Culture Administration makes a call for completely clean Olympic Games. I hope this kind of walkover incident will come to the end.