PETALING JAYA: World No. 1 shuttler Shi Yuqi has expressed his disappointment over the long delay in giving medical treatment to junior men’s singles compatriot Zhang Zhijie, who died after collapsing on court while playing in the Asian Junior Championships.
Zhijie was in action against Japan’s Kazuma Kazano in a group match in the mixed team event on Sunday in Yogyakarta when he suddenly collapsed and started convulsing.
The 17-year-old’s coach rushed towards him but was stopped by the umpire. It took almost a full minute before medical assistance finally arrived.
Zhijie was then taken to the hospital in an ambulance but to no avail. He was declared dead at the hospital.
Yuqi was unhappy with the umpire and the way Zhijie was treated.
“After seeing the video of the incident, I’m truly disappointed with the umpire and how the medical team treated him,” said Yuqi via social media.
“Maybe if he had got the treatment much earlier, it could have saved his life.”
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) will now investigate the incident further and renew their emergency response protocols.
“According to the guidelines, the tournament doctor, under the direction of the referee, has the responsibility to respond to emergencies on court, including suspected cardiac arrest and in this scenario, to provide intervention until proper medical services can be available (for example ambulance),” said the BWF in a statement.
“When implementing these guidelines, it is reinforced that all personnel need to be ready at all times to respond to all required medical interventions, including emergencies as soon as possible.
“Following the completion of our review, we will determine whether specific aspects of these guidelines need to be changed.”
