Chinese badminton star and two-time Olympic champion Lin Dan took to social media on Tuesday to demand an estimated four million yuan (about 588,200 US dollars) owed to him by his club, Yueyu.
In a post on Weibo, one of China’s biggest social platforms, the 33-year-old five-time world champion said he and six other players had not been paid since joining the club, based in Heyuan, in south China's Guangdong Province, in early 2016.
Screenshot from Lin Dan's Weibo
Lin posted a joint statement in which the players said they had participated in all the games required by the club but none of them had received any payments despite long negotiations.
Having run out of options, they were forced to go public. The seven players also threatened to take legal action if the club did not pay their salaries immediately.
The statement did not specify how much money was owed, but reports said Lin Dan’s contract was for four million yuan.
Screenshot of the joint statement
Dubbed Super Dan, Lin is one of China’s most successful sports stars, and the only player in the world to have completed the badminton "Super Grand Slam" by winning nine major titles. He is also the only man to retain singles’ badminton Olympic gold, winning in both 2008 and 2012.
On Wednesday, Yueyu club president Gao Jun laid the blame for the unpaid salaries on the club’s deputy manager Fu Xun, according to media reports. Not just the players, but the coaching staff, and Gao himself had not been paid, he said, adding he would contact Fu and sponsors to handle the issue as soon as possible.
The pay dispute emerged just a day before Lin was due to leave for the Sudirman Cup, the world mixed team badminton championship, in Australia.
CFP Photo
Lin’s endorsement deals could be worth as much as 32.5 million US dollars, according to reports. Still, Internet users backed him up on social media following his revelations.
“Resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of athletes! Lin Dan may not need the money, but he is protecting his own rights as well as others,” Super_LD_ wrote on Weibo.
“I support brother Dan’s act. The club should respect athletes’ endeavor and pay the money to all the athletes,” added Weibo user WeijingKath.
