The 2018-19 season of the China Badminton Super League (CBSL) will happen between December 4, 2018 and January 19, 2019. Two key members of Team China, Lin Dan and Chen Long, have both confirmed that they will not participate in the event in order to better prepare for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
By doing so, Lin and Chen are giving up the chance to make over 100,000 U.S. dollars in less than two months. Chen said that he wanted to improve his training for the Olympic qualifiers that will start in late April next year. Lin gave the similar answer that he needed one month for winter training.
However, their decisions mean more than just money. After all, the new CBSL season will end on January 19, which is more than two months before the Olympic qualifiers begin. Even if Lin and Chen finish the season, they still have enough time to rest and prepare for other events.
Lin Dan needs to play more matches and collect more points to raise his world ranking. /VCG Photo
The real issue comes from the Badminton World Federation (BWF) trying to make athletes play as many games as possible to collect points for their world rankings, which then will decide what kind of rivals they will meet in various events.
For example, Lin currently ranks 13th on the standings stable for men's singles. That means there is a very good chance he will compete with higher-ranking athletes in either the first or second rounds of senior events. In November, Lin met world's No.1 badminton player, Kento Momota from Japan twice and was eliminated twice after his first match. If he does not want to repeat this, Lin will need to play more matches to raise his ranking and hence get better seeded identity.
Chen Long needs to play more matches to keep his ranking and find his sense for the game back. /VCG Photo
Chen has the same consideration. Though he currently ranked at No.5, he has been struggling since the 2016 Summer Olympics and won only one title in 2018. If he continues the current sluggishness, other players - including Lin - may pass him in world ranking.
Another reason for Lin and Chen to attend more events is that each country's badminton association can only send two players per event (men's singles, women's singles etc.). The Chinese player Shi Yuqi is ranked No.2, higher than both of them. Therefore, which two get the honor of playing on behalf of their country will be decided by the competitions among the three.