Taiwan’s top female badminton player, Tai Tzu-ying, was facing double jeopardy yesterday.
Not only did she have to deal with a disappointing loss in her singles quarter-final at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, but the sport’s national body was said to be considering banning her for a year over a sponsorship row.
Tai, 22, was considered a medal hope with her energetic displays, and quick reflex shots that brought a string of wins in recent years and a rise to world No. 3 last year and No. 8 in Brazil.
However, she fell to ninth-seeded P.V. Sindhu of India, who had a height advantage at 1.79m to Tai’s 1.62m.
Sindhu played with aggression, defeating Tai 21-13, 21-15.
As Tai tried to recover from her disappointment, Chinese Taipei Badminton Association (CTBA) officials piled on more misery.
The association is reportedly to convene a meeting when Tai returns home, at which it is to decide whether she will face a fine or a one-year ban from representing the nation at international tournaments amid accusations that she breached a contract with team sponsor Yonex, a sports clothing and equipment manufacturer.
Tai is sponsored personally by Victor, which supplies her rackets, shoes and other gear.
Tai has said that her feet are different sizes, meaning she has to wear special shoes to train and play.
The shoes are custom-made by Victor, she said.
According to local media reports, in the association’s agreement with Yonex, Taiwanese Olympic representatives must not use rackets made by other firms and must wear clothing, shoes and other gear supplied by Yonex.
Tai said she wrote to the association prior to the Olympics describing problems she had adjusting to shoes provided by Yonex and asked for permission to wear other shoes.
Tai also said she wished to honor her arrangement with Victor, as the terms of her deal with that firm also forbid use of other brands.
The matter was reportedly resolved for the Olympics, with Victor providing non-branded shoes.
Reports said that Tai was upset by badminton officials, who said she was seeking to breach the rules to challenge the national body.
CTBA secretary-general Tsai Hung-peng yesterday issued a statement calling on badminton officials, athletes, and sponsors to sit down and discuss the issues after the Olympics, “to create a win-win-win situation for all three sides.”
The statement said there remained disagreements between Tai, the association and sponsors, while it did not deny reports that the association is considering sanctions against the athlete.
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