The Chinese Badminton Association also expressed deep sadness and shock.
Zhang Zhijie, a 17-year-old Chinese badminton player, died after collapsing on the court during the Asian Junior Badminton Championships in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, according to a report in Brand. The shuttler was playing against Japan’s Kazuma Kawano in the opening game on June 30, which was tied at 11-11, when he collapsed. He received medical treatment immediately but was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Badminton Asia and the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) said in a joint statement on Monday: “Chinese Zhang Zhijie, a singles player, collapsed on the court during an evening match. He was sent to hospital where he passed away in At 11:20 pm local time, he was seen by the tournament doctor and medical staff. He was taken in the ready ambulance in less than two minutes and taken to the hospital.
“The world of badminton has lost a talented player,” the statement added.
Videos of the incident recently went viral online, showing a 40-second wait before Zhang was attended to by emergency personnel. There was harsh criticism directed at authorities, with many questioning whether immediate medical assistance could have saved his life. In the short clip, a man is seen rushing to help the transporter after he collapses, however, he stops midway and awaits further instructions.
According to BBC, a PBSI spokesperson later said that “medical teams had to follow a rule that they needed the referee’s permission before entering the court.” He said: “This is in line with the regulations and standards of procedure that apply to all international badminton tournaments.” Meanwhile, the Indonesian badminton body declared that he had suffered a sudden cardiac arrest.
The young player, originally from Jiaxing in China’s Zhejiang province, joined the national junior team in 2023 and has won several championships, including the team and men’s titles in Group B of the China Junior Badminton Championships in 2023 and 2024.
The Chinese Badminton Association also expressed deep sadness and shock. “Zhang Zhijie loved badminton and was an excellent athlete on the national youth badminton team,” they said. The statement continued: “Currently, the local hospital has not yet identified the cause of death.”
Two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu also took to X (formerly Twitter) to express her condolences. She wrote: “Absolutely heartbreaking news from the Asian Junior Badminton Championships regarding the loss of young badminton player Zhang Zhi Jie.”
Absolutely heartbreaking news from the Asian Junior Badminton Championships regarding the loss of young badminton player Zhang Zhi Jie.
I offer my deepest condolences to Zhang’s family during this devastating time. The world lost a remarkable talent today.
-Pvsindhu (@Pvsindhu1) June 30, 2024
“I extend my deepest condolences to Zhang’s family during this devastating time. The world lost a remarkable talent today,” she continued.
This story originally appeared on Ndtv.com read the full story
