[Saba Sports News] Japanese badminton star Chiharu Shida has been engulfed in domestic public controversy and faced heavy criticism from numerous Japanese netizens in recent weeks. The trigger was her decision to ditch a Japanese domestic brand and sign with Chinese sportswear giant Li-Ning. What should have been a routine commercial partnership has sparked fierce backlash from Japanese fans, who bombarded her with accusations and criticism. To make matters worse, Shida has endured poor form and underwhelming results on court lately, coupled with multiple tournament withdrawals. Ordinary fluctuations in competitive performance have been wildly exaggerated online, trapping her in a storm of public opinion. Beneath the controversy lies her irrevocably broken relationship with the Badminton Association of Japan (BAJ). The federation has long prioritized nurturing young talent at the expense of veteran players, steadily squeezing senior athletes’ tournament opportunities and room for development. Burdened by systemic pressure, Shida voluntarily departed the Japanese national team to compete as an independent player funding her own campaigns. In an even more shocking twist, she was kept in the dark that her entries for the China Open and Japan Open had been cancelled unilaterally — confirming the complete breakdown between both sides. Fortunately, her sponsorship deal with Li-Ning provides stable backing. This support allows her to keep pursuing her competitive career amid the adversity and restrictions imposed upon her.
After pulling out of two major tournaments, the Japan Open and China Open, Chiharu Shida has recently turned down a reserve berth for the BWF World Championships. To make matters more noteworthy, she previously unfollowed the official account of the Badminton Association of Japan. Taken together, these series of moves appear highly unusual and abrupt. Is the friction stemming from poor on-court coordination with her partner, or does this signal a complete falling-out between Shida and the Badminton Association of Japan?