Different treatment: China’s Ren Xiangyu (right) had a team doctor treat his back injury during the China Open final instead of a medical personnel from the governing body BWF. — AFP
PETALING JAYA: National coaching director Rexy Mainaky has called on the Badminton World Federation (BWF) to change their rule on medical treatment for players in tournaments.
In the final of the China Open on Sunday, the tournament referee allowed the home team’s medical personnel to treat men’s doubles player Ren Xiangyu after he strained his back towards the end of the first game against Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani.
The decision by the referee to allow this sparked debate as per BWF rules, only the medical personnel assigned by the governing body are allowed to treat players during matches.
Xiangyu returned to court after the treatment and eventually lost the match along with He Jiting.
While acknowledging that his treatment was unfair as it was against the rules, Rexy believes that BWF should consider reviewing the rules and standardise the treatment of players.
The Indonesian believes that it will be better for BWF to allow all countries to have their team’s medical personnel treat their own players in the future.
Rexy cited the incident when 17-year-old Chinese junior player Zhang Zhijie tragically lost his life after he collapsed during a match in the Asian Junior Championships in Yogyakarta in July.
Nearly a full minute passed before medical personnel rushed to his aid and Zhijie passed away after he was taken to the hospital via ambulance.
BWF had promised to renew their emergency response protocols after the incident.
Rexy felt that the tournament referee in the China Open could be thinking about Zhijie’s death when he made the decision to allow Xiangyu to be treated by his team doctor.
“Perhaps BWF learned from what happened to Zhijie and feared that if they did not allow an expert to treat Xiangyu, he could become worse,” Rexy said.
“Honestly, based on the rules, the tournament referee’s decision was unfair. Perhaps, they felt that only Xiangyu’s team doctor could treat the player correctly.
“If this is the case, then BWF should think about changing their rules.
“Because it looks unfair when this is only allowed in China when they are the hosts. If it was the same situation in Hong Kong or Korea, will the tournament referee allow this?
“So, it’s better if the treatment of players is standardised. Allow this all the time.
“BWF can have a meeting with a representative from every country’s association and all agree on this. Or every county’s association can write a letter to BWF requesting this.
“If everyone agrees to allow their team doctors to treat their players, then BWF will not be held responsible for the players’ health,” added Rexy.
