Lee gets green light for King's birthday match
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The controversy over a Bangkok badminton exhibition match between top players Lee Chong-Wei and Lin Dan ended yesterday with the Badminton World Federation (BWF) granting permission to stage the event under a special format.
The green light from the governing body was a huge relief for organisers the Badminton Granular Team, after the BWF had earlier banned world No 1 Lee from competition for testing positive for doping at the World Championships in August.
Two-time Olympics silver medallist Lee has been banned from all BWF sanctioned tournaments, with the BWF initially threatening to punish the Badminton Association of Thailand should the Badminton Thai Glory to the King exhibition between Lee and Lin go ahead. The event, to celebrate HM the King’s birthday, is scheduled for Friday (December 5) at Hua Mark Indoor Stadium.
After Granular Team president Jane Piyatat made trips to Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong for discussions with authorities concerned, the BWF agreed that the exhibition could go ahead under a special format.
“This is a very good news for badminton fans. Now we will have to find a format that meets the criteria of the BWF,” said Jane.
