PETALING JAYA: The absence of China’s badminton supremo Zhang Jun at the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals in Horsens, Denmark, did not stop the men and women’s team from getting off to a flying start.
On Friday, the men’s team led by Shi Yuqi outplayed Australia 5-0 while their women’s side defeated Ukraine 5-0 in their respective opening group ties at Forum Horsens.
China had arrived in Denmark for the prestigious world meet without Zhang Jun and that had raised eyebrows.
Chinadaily.com.cn reported yesterday that the 48-year-old, who won two Olympic gold medals in mixed doubles with partner Gao Ling at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and 2004 Athens Olympics, is under investigation by disciplinary and supervisory authorities.
They said that according to the Economic Observer, Zhang Jun has been out of public contact for over 10 days.
The report said the investigation concerns Zhang Jun’s work at the Chinese Badminton Association, although some issues were reportedly connected to his work in Jiangsu province.
After retiring in August 2007, Zhang Jun joined the national team’s coaching staff before he was elected the CBA president in January 2019. He was then re-elected chief of the sport’s national governing body in August 2023.
Zhang Jun also serves as the vice-president of the Nanjing Sport Institute, a public sports university in Nanjing, capital of East China’s Jiangsu province.
According to the report, neither the CBA nor the Nanjing Sport Institute has responded to media inquiries on Zhang Jun’s case.
