Source: Visual China Group / Lu Lin / CHINASPORTS / VCG
[Saba Sports News] Starting from January 11, the official Weibo account of the Chinese badminton team and athletes Wang Chang, Liang Weikeng, He Jiting, Ren Xiangyu, Zhu Yijun, as well as coaches Chen Qiqiu and Luo Yigang, have gradually disbanded their fan groups, indicating that the Chinese badminton team is taking action to resist “fan circle” culture. In recent years, the spread of “fan circle” culture has troubled Chinese sports significantly. During the 2024 Paris Olympics, table tennis players Chen Meng and Sun Yingsha staged a peak showdown. However, after the match, some extreme fans engaged in mutual criticism online, which generated significant negative effects. Similarly, the national players of the Chinese badminton team are facing similar issues. Among them, the Liang and Wang pair has been troubled by “fan circle” culture. Mistakes and lost points are common in badminton doubles, but with the high level of attention, every loss by the Liang-Wang pair sparks debates among fans, and even any communication between them is magnified and interpreted. In my opinion, the disbanding of fan groups by the Chinese badminton team is a statement of resistance against the spread of “fan circle” culture in the sports world. This action is wise from the perspective of developing badminton as a sport and promoting the professional growth of athletes.