17-Year-Old Badminton Star Zhang Zhijie Collapses, Passes Away

A promising young Chinese badminton player named Zhang Zhijie tragically passed away after a sudden collapse during a tournament. He was 17 years old.

On July 1, the Indonesian Badminton Association reported that Zhijie experienced a seizure during an Asian tournament in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Despite being rushed to the hospital, he passed away.

The Indonesian Badminton Association stated, “After examination and treatment at two hospitals, it was concluded that Zhang Zhijie suffered a sudden heart attack.”

The Guangzhou Daily reported that the Asian Badminton Federation and the Indonesian Badminton Association strongly condemned the regulations of the World Badminton Federation. The team representative rushed to the scene of the incident but was stopped by the referee on duty to wait for medical staff to enter the stadium.

According to a live broadcast, the medical staff was not equipped with an AED (Automatic External Defibrillator), and they reportedly did not perform CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) or any other emergency measures.

Zhijie ‘s younger sister shared on Weibo, “He was only 17. I think the local medical conditions are too poor. After losing our father, our mother has been raising us alone.” She reportedly felt sick and was hospitalized after hearing the news.

Born in 2007, Zhijie was highly praised for his talent in badminton. He won the China U15 Men’s Singles Championship in 2022 and claimed victory in the National Youth Badminton Championship in group B this year.

“Zhijie loved badminton and was an outstanding National Youth Badminton Team athlete,” The Chinese Badminton Association stated.

The Championship Organizing Committee also condolences, saying, “The badminton world has lost a talented player.”