BADMINTON World Federation (BWF) is reviewing emergency response protocols during tournaments following the death of China’s Zhang Zhi Jie, who collapsed on the court during the Asian Junior Championships in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, on Sunday (June 30).
In a statement today, BWF said it is taking all necessary steps to thoroughly review the incident and will determine whether specific aspects of the guidelines need to be changed.
Describing Zhang’s death as a tragic occurrence, the BWF stated that it is waiting for an official report from Badminton Asia and the Local Organising Committee to assess whether the correct medical procedures were followed in providing aid to the 17-year-old shuttler when he fell on the court.
Though the tournament is under the jurisdiction of Badminton Asia, BWF said there is a general set of medical guidelines and instructions available for use by other governing bodies (regional or national) hosting BWF-sanctioned tournaments.
According to the guidelines, the tournament doctor, under the direction of the referee, is responsible for handling on-court emergencies, including suspected cardiac arrest, until proper medical services, like an ambulance, arrive.
“However, it is up to each governing body to decide how it implements these medical protocols and practices onsite. When implementing these guidelines, it is emphasised that all personnel need to be prepared at all times to respond to the required medical interventions, including emergencies, as quickly as possible.
“An existing review, initiated earlier this year is evaluating BWF policies and procedures regarding emergency intervention by tournament doctors to ensure the most appropriate and timely care, will include findings from BWF’s assessment and the Badminton Asia report,” the statement read.
The BWF had also expressed condolences to Zhang’s family, his teammates, the Chinese Badminton Association, and the entire Chinese badminton community.
Zhang, a men’s singles player, collapsed on court during a group stage match against Japanese opponent Kazuma Kawamo at the Among Rogo Sport Arena.
In a joint statement issued by Badminton Asia and the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) following the incident, they said Zhang passed away at 11:20 pm local time on Sunday.
