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View all search resultsTaufik, China withdraw from Super Series Masters
The inaugural badminton World Super Series Masters Final could lose its gusto with the withdrawal of the world's top shuttlers, including Athens Olympic gold medalist Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia and the entire Chinese squad, from the event
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T
he inaugural badminton World Super Series Masters Final could lose its gusto with the withdrawal of the world's top shuttlers, including Athens Olympic gold medalist Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia and the entire Chinese squad, from the event.
The badminton tournament is running from Dec. 18 to 21 in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.
An executive with the Indonesian Badminton Federation (PBSI), Lius Pongoh, said Taufik informed the organizers of his withdrawal Thursday due to a nagging waist injury.
"But this (Friday) morning, he said he wished he could have competed in the event, so we emailed the organizers to retract the initial report. Unfortunately, the organizers rejected our plea," Lius told The Jakarta Post.
According to the organizers, Lius quoted the organizers' reply as "They (the organizers) have given the vacant spot to a Hong Kong shuttler."
The tournament, which was expected to generate big money through television sponsors, the high-level of competition and a record amount of prize money with US$500,000 at stake, could lose potential due to the absence of powerhouse badminton nation China.
The Chinese Badminton Association secretary-general Liu Fengyan said in a statement to the Badminton World Federation's official website www.internationalbadminton.org that his shuttlers withdrew from the competition to avoid aggravating injuries, saying they also had a hectic schedule with national training camps approaching soon.
The Chinese squad includes Beijing Olympic gold medalist Lin Dan, men's doubles silver medalists Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng and women's doubles gold medalists Du Jing and Yu Yang.
In the women's singles Zhu Lin and Lu Lan are the notable absentees as Olympic champion Zhang Ning retired from international badminton to concentrate on a coaching career.
Several other distinguished withdrawals include Olympic mixed doubles champions Lee Yong Dae and Lee Hyo Jung of Korea, former men's doubles world champions Lars Paaske and Jonas Rasmussen of Denmark and Japanese women's doubles Olympic semifinalists Miyuki Maeda and Satoko Suetsuna.
Badminton World Federation Secretary-General Stuart Borrie put a brave face on the snub.
"We are disappointed that some of the top players will not be competing in this inaugural event," he said.
"However, we are still fielding a world class event.
"The BWF is confident that the tournament will be a success and look forward to the great week of badminton ahead of us."
