Source: NURPHOTO / Kabir Jhangiani
[Saba Sports News] The results of the 2024 BWF Annual Awards have sparked considerable controversy, with some media outlets criticizing the BWF for turning the awards into a celebration for the Chinese team. The most contentious point is the award for Best Male Player, which went to Shi Yuqi. European media, particularly from Denmark, have voiced concerns that Viktor Axelsen, who had a significantly better record, missed out on the award due to his criticism of the BWF after withdrawing from the Finals. In comparing the annual performances of Shi Yuqi and Axelsen, it is notable that Axelsen won a gold medal at the Paris Olympics and the last Finals championship, but did not win any titles in the Super 750 and Super 1000 tournaments. In contrast, Shi Yuqi won a Super 1000 title and three Super 750 titles, along with holding the world number one ranking, making it reasonable for either player to win the award. The second controversy arose in the men’s doubles category, where the Taipei duo Wang Chi-Lin/Lee Yang, who won a gold medal at the Paris Olympics, was not nominated, while the Chinese pair Liang Weikeng/Wang Chang, who did not qualify for the Finals, was awarded instead. Consequently, some media outlets suspect that the Chinese Badminton Association directly manipulated the BWF’s annual award results. In my opinion, the complaints from these media and fans are more like venting frustrations over their favored athletes not winning.