KUALA LUMPUR – The Badminton World Federation (BWF) is awaiting an official report from Badminton Asia and the local organising committee to determine whether the correct medical procedures were followed in providing aid to Zhang Zhijie when he collapsed on court during the Badminton Asia Junior Championships in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Zhijie’s death at the tournament is a tragic occurrence, and BWF has emphasised its commitment to thoroughly reviewing the matter in consultation with Badminton Asia and the Badminton Association of Indonesia.
“While the Asia Junior Championships are under the jurisdiction of Badminton Asia, BWF does have an overall set of medical guidelines and instructions that are available for use by other governing bodies (regional or national) hosting BWF-sanctioned tournaments,” BWF stated today.
“However, it is up to each governing body as to how it implements these medical protocols and practices on-site at its events.”
According to BWF guidelines, the tournament doctor, under the direction of the referee, is responsible for responding to emergencies on the court, including suspected cardiac arrest, and providing intervention until proper medical services, such as an ambulance, are available.
BWF has reinforced the need for all personnel to be ready to respond promptly to medical emergencies.
“Following the completion of our review, we will determine whether specific aspects of these guidelines need to be changed.
“An existing review, initiated earlier this year, evaluating the BWF policies and procedures regarding emergency intervention by tournament doctors to ensure the most appropriate and timely care, will include findings from BWF’s assessment and the Badminton Asia report,” the statement added.
The death of 17-year-old Chinese badminton player Zhijie on Sunday has sparked criticism from various quarters over BWF’s medical guidelines.
Zhijie collapsed mid-court and began convulsing during the third match between China and Japan.
His coach quickly stepped onto the court to check on him but was stopped by the umpire.
During a recent press conference following the incident, Badminton Indonesia spokesman Broto Happy defended the actions of the medical staff, stating that they appeared hesitant to respond to the shuttler because they had to wait for the referee’s permission to enter the court.
The medical staff attended to Zhijie about 40 seconds after he collapsed and brought him to an ambulance within two minutes, but he was pronounced dead at 11.20pm local time at the hospital.
BWF also expressed its deepest condolences to Zhijie’s family, his teammates, the Chinese Badminton Association and the entire Chinese badminton community. – July 2, 2024