[Saba Sports News] Starting from April 10, the mobile phone of Zhang Jun, Chairman of the Chinese Badminton Association, has been continuously powered off. Those who have professional dealings with him found that they could not get in touch via calls or messages. This unusual situation left Zhang Jun’s close relatives deeply concerned. They made a special trip to the Jiangsu Provincial Bureau of Sports to inquire about his situation, yet received no clear response whatsoever.
April 20 marked the upcoming opening of the 2026 Thomas Cup and Uber Cup badminton team championships in Horsens, Denmark. Nevertheless, Zhang Jun, head of the Chinese Badminton Association, was not included in the delegation list travelling with the national team — an absence rarely seen at major international tournaments in the past. The Chinese National Badminton Team publicly explained at the time that Zhang Jun needed to stay in China for overall coordination and overall planning. His complete absence, coupled with his prolonged disappearance from contact, sparked widespread speculation.
On April 24, Li Weiao, a senior journalist with The Economic Observer, published a report citing multiple informed sources, confirming that Zhang Jun has been taken away for investigation by disciplinary inspection and supervision authorities. It was pointed out that the relevant matters are mainly related to his work during his tenure as Chairman of the Chinese Badminton Association, with some issues also involving his previous postings within Jiangsu’s sports administration system. Up to now, the Chinese National Badminton Team has not issued any official or direct response regarding Zhang Jun’s disappearance from public view.
In my opinion, the investigation into Zhang Jun, a core senior administrator in Chinese badminton, serves as a clear signal that anti-corruption efforts in the sports industry are further deepening and expanding in scope. It demonstrates that no individual is exempt from rigorous investigation and disciplinary action once violations of laws or regulations are involved, regardless of one’s illustrious athletic achievements or high-ranking administrative positions.