Source:REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed
[Saba Sports News] Chinese badminton player He Bingjiao, who won the silver medal in women’s singles at the 2024 Paris Olympics, faced online abuse after failing to win the gold medal and for eliminating her teammate Chen Yufei in the quarterfinals. Some extreme fans left curse-filled comments on He Bingjiao’s social media, accusing her of being a “traitor” for losing to a South Korean opponent after defeating a fellow Chinese player. Although He Bingjiao did not respond to the insults, she is likely quite saddened by them. To support her teammate, Chen Yufei, who recently announced a temporary break from the sport, was forced to speak out, stating that He Bingjiao achieved an excellent result for China’s women’s singles and deserves the respect of all fans. In fact, after the 2016 Rio Olympics, Chinese women’s badminton experienced a downturn, going nearly two years without winning a title in high-level BWF events. It was Chen Yufei and He Bingjiao who ended this drought, leading China to reclaim the Uber Cup. From the editor’s perspective, these extreme netizens may seem to be defending Chen Yufei, but their insults towards He Bingjiao are simply an outlet for their dissatisfaction.