On July 2nd, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) once again expressed its condolences through social media to the family, teammates, Chinese Badminton Association, and the entire badminton community in China following the unfortunate passing of Chinese badminton player Zhang Zijie. The BWF also announced that it will conduct a thorough review of the incident.
The BWF statement is as follows:
Zhang Zijie tragically passed away during the Asian Junior Badminton Championships in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. We are taking all necessary measures, in consultation with the Asian Badminton Confederation and the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI), to thoroughly review the matter.
While the Asian Junior Badminton Championships fall under the jurisdiction of the Asian Badminton Confederation, the BWF does have comprehensive medical guidelines and instructions available for other governing bodies (regional or national) to use when hosting BWF-sanctioned events. However, the implementation of these medical protocols is at the discretion of each governing body.
The BWF is awaiting the formal reports from the Asian Badminton Confederation and the local organizing committee to assess whether the correct medical procedures were followed when Zhang Zijie collapsed on court.
According to the medical guidelines, tournament doctors, under the guidance of the referee, have the responsibility to respond to emergencies on court, including suspected cardiac arrests, and provide intervention until appropriate medical services (such as an ambulance) arrive.
It is crucial that all personnel are prepared to promptly react to all necessary medical interventions, including emergencies, when implementing these guidelines.
Upon completion of the review, we will determine if any specific revisions to these guidelines are required.
A review initiated earlier this year is already assessing the BWF’s policies and procedures regarding tournament doctors’ emergency interventions to ensure the most appropriate and timely treatment. This review will incorporate the BWF’s assessment of the incident and the report from the Asian Badminton Confederation.
