Tag: Lee Chong Wei

Opinion Editorial: The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of BadmintonPlanet.com.

In recent days, Indonesian Badminton player Taufik Hidayat’s questioning of Lee Chong Wei’s inclusion into the Badminton Hall of Fame has sparked immense debate, particularly with Malaysian badminton fans who have expressed large discontent with his stance.

Below is Taufik Hidayat’s complete interview with his comments about Lee Chong Wei’s inclusion in the BWF Hall of Fame:

Nak ckp pasal prestasi ke pencapaian ke aku tak kisah tp bila ko kaitkan dato LCW dpt HOF sbb pejabat BWF di Malaysia,itu kenyataan dan tuduhan paling bodoh dan dangkal bagi aku oleh seorang legend bernama taufik hidayat. I’ve lost all respect for you
Credit: djayamkampung95 pic.twitter.com/2N8u8fNs6U

— KnizaM Leo 🇲🇾🔰 (@kroolnizam) June 1, 2023

However, here on BadmintonPlanet.com, we would like to express compassion for both sides in this debate and help fans digest Taufik’s words in 5 steps.

1. Freedom of Speech
No matter who is right or wrong, it is important to acknowledge that everyone has freedom of speech, and under a democratic society, Taufik should be allowed to express his opinions openly just like anyone else.

2. Numbers Don’t Lie
Statistically speaking, Lee Chong Wei has a higher winning percentage than the three Olympic gold medalists: Lin Dan, Chen Long, and Taufik himself. This data challenges the argument presented by Taufik in the interview above against Lee Chong Wei’s qualifications for the BWF Hall of Fame.

According to the statistics below, as of 2020, Lee Chong Wei has played 848 matches in his career and won 713 of them, boasting a winning percentage of 84.08%. On the other hand, Lin Dan’s was 83.46%, Chen Long’s was 79.46%, and Taufik Hidayat’s winning percentage was 74.95%.

On top of this, Lee is the only person in the history of badminton who has spent 349 weeks as the No.1 ranked player in the world, and ranked No.1 for 200 consecutive weeks.

3. Not The First Time Taufik Hidayat Has Made Controversial Remarks
Taufik’s tendency to make controversial remarks is not unprecedented. In 2006, he labeled Lin Dan as arrogant, as reported in this article: “Taufik: Lin Dan arrogant.”
https://www.thestar.com.my/sport/other-sport/2006/12/02/taufik-lin-dan-arrogant

Additionally, in 2010, he downplayed the significance of Lin Dan’s four consecutive championships, emphasizing his admiration for the Asian Games instead.
https://sports.qq.com/a/20100823/000612.htm

4. Hall of Fame Election Requirements
It is also essential to understand that you don’t need a gold medal to enter the Hall of Fame. In many sports, inductions are based on a player’s overall impact on the sport, career records, ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and team contributions.

FLooking at Yao Ming’s induction into the NBA Basketball Hall of Fame as an example, he had never won an NBA championship, Olympic gold medal, or World Championship. Yet, his influence on the game was so profound that it warranted his inclusion. He was even inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame as well in 2023, further emphasizing his contribution.

Hence, Taufik’s argument that Lee Chong Wei’s absence of a gold medal disqualifies him from the Hall of Fame is unfounded and inappropriate.

5. Let’s Spread More Love And Positivity

As a highly influential former player in badminton, Taufik Hidayat could’ve taken a more harmonious approach, promoting love and acceptance instead of engaging in attacks on Lee Chong Wei. Lee Chong Wei himself even wore a “We Love Taufik” T-shirt on the Indonesian court signifying the strong bond and respect he has for Taufik.

Even in intense rivalries such as the one between Lee Chong Wei and Lin Dan, we can see that such a rivalry only persisted on the court, and off the court a beautiful friendship can be fostered. There’s even been a recent viral video where Lee Chong Wei taught Lin Dan the language of Malay. These types of videos are what represent and emphasize the importance of fostering positive relationships within the badminton community as a whole.

Video of Lee Chong Wei Love Lin Dan 🙂

In conclusion, badminton legends such as Taufik Hidayat should focus on encouraging unity, spreading love, and nurturing a spirit of camaraderie within the badminton community as we move forward from this topic.

Kuala Lumpur: On May 26, 2023, badminton legends Lee Chong Wei and Lin Dan were officially inducted into the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Hall of Fame in an induction ceremony that was held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) and marked the first time that Lin Dan has traveled abroad in four years. Continue reading Lee Chong Wei, Lin Dan Officially Inducted Into The World Badminton Federation Hall of Fame

Kuala Lumpur: Lin Dan has confirmed that he will be traveling to Malaysia to attend the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in person on May 26, at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center (KLCC) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

When speaking to Malaysian media, Lee Chong Wei who was also elected to the BWF Hall of Fame for 2023, said that he was surprised to receive notification from BWF about the Hall of Fame induction.

“To be honest, I didn’t even think about it. It was a real surprise when I received an email from BWF about a week ago,” said Lee.

“I did some Googling after that, and I found out there were several Malaysian players who were elected into the Hall of Fame, but it was many years ago, they were not in my era,” added Lee.

“Anyway, this is not the success of myself but this is the success of all Malaysians.”

“I also want to say thank you to BAM (Badminton Association of Malaysia) because, without BAM, there is no Chong Wei. Similarly to my sponsor who has always been behind me no matter what the situation including when I was in the most difficult situation during the doping case.”

“Finally to all Malaysians, I thank you all,” said Lee.

Lee became the first Malaysian player to be elected to the BWF Hall of Fame since Wong Peng Soon in 1999.

Other Malaysian players also elected into the BWF Hall of Fame were Eddy Choong (1997), David Choong, Ng Boon Bee, Ong Poh Lim, and Tan Yee Khan (1998).

Lee also revealed that Lin Dan will arrive in Kuala Lumpur on May 25, and he will try his best as a host to welcome Lin to Malaysia.

Meanwhile, Lin also posted on his social media page that he will be attending the induction ceremony in Kuala Lumpur:

“My first trip overseas in four years. I’ll visit my old friend and old opponent​​​​ in Kuala Lumpur,” said Lin.

Kuala Lumpur: Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia who recorded a total of 348 weeks as World No. 1, and 6 consecutive years as year-end World No. 1 (2008-2013), together with Lin Dan of China, the two-time Olympic gold medalist, have been elected to the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Hall of Fame for 2023. Continue reading Lee Chong Wei, and Lin Dan Elected to the Badminton Hall of Fame