Lessons from tragic incident at Asian Junior Badminton Championships – Xinhua

The tragic death of Chinese badminton player Zhang Zhijie during a tournament in Indonesia has sparked controversy over the emergency response to the matter and highlighted the need for streamlined protocols that put the welfare of athletes first.

BEIJING, July 2 (Xinhua) — The tragic death of 17-year-old Chinese badminton player Zhang Zhijie during the Asian Junior Badminton Championships in Indonesia has raised critical questions about emergency response measures at sporting events.

Video footage shows that medical staff did not intervene immediately after Zhang collapsed on the court and suffered seizures. The delay in deploying an automated external defibrillator and performing effective cardiopulmonary resuscitation has attracted considerable attention.

The Indonesian Badminton Association held a press conference on Monday in collaboration with local hospitals, saying the athlete was not breathing spontaneously or had a pulse when he arrived at the hospital. They explained that the delayed medical response seen in the video was because medical staff needed permission from the umpires before entering the court.

This administrative hurdle underscores the need for optimized protocols that put the well-being of athletes first.

Screenshot from the Badminton Asia website.

The International Olympic Committee’s medical guidelines require that the necessary resources, facilities, equipment and services be available at Olympic events. Specific medical emergency plans must be developed for each venue and sport, including protocols for the evacuation of seriously ill or injured athletes. Badminton World Federation regulations require umpires to treat athlete injuries or illnesses with caution and flexibility and to promptly assess their severity. If necessary, umpires should consult the Chief Referee to determine whether tournament doctors or other personnel need to enter the competition area.

According to reports, the Indonesian Badminton Association has officially requested the World Badminton Federation to revise the rule that prohibits medical teams from entering the court without the permission of the referee. The first principle in sport is to follow rules, but regardless of how rules are worded or how referees blow their whistles, life should always be the highest rule on the court.