Outcry over teen athlete's fatal collapse during match

The decease of a Chinese teenage badminton subordinate who collapsed connected tribunal has sparked an outcry crossed Chinese societal media.

Zhang Zhijie, 17, was competing successful a younker lucifer erstwhile helium abruptly fell to the level successful convulsions. He was aboriginal pronounced dormant astatine a hospital.

Footage of the incident, shared wide online, showed a intermission of astir 40 seconds earlier medics rushed to be to Zhang.

Officials person travel nether aggravated disapproval and questions connected whether his beingness could person been saved by quicker aesculapian intervention.

Indonesia's badminton relation PBSI aboriginal said helium had suffered a abrupt cardiac arrest.

The Badminton Asia Junior Championships lucifer had taken spot successful the Indonesian metropolis of Yogyakarta connected Sunday, with Zhang playing against Kazuma Kawano of Japan.

After Zhang collapses, a antheral is seen moving to assistance him, but helium stops successful his tracks and appears to look disconnected tribunal for further instruction.

A PBSI spokesperson aboriginal told reporters that aesculapian teams had to travel a regularisation wherever they needed the referee's support earlier entering the court.

“That is successful accordance with the regulations and standards of process that applies to each planetary badminton tournament," helium said.

Badminton Asia, the determination limb of the sport's governing assemblage Badminton World Federation, besides said Zhang was taken to an ambulance wrong 2 minutes.

PBSI is present readying to inquire the federation to re-evaluate this regularisation truthful it tin beryllium "more situational, for actions to beryllium taken much rapidly truthful that athletes tin beryllium saved if determination is simply a akin lawsuit successful the future".

Other nonrecreational sports bodies, specified arsenic the UK's Football Association, person a akin rule.

But connected Chinese users of societal media level Weibo, determination was an outpouring of anger, with galore wide condemning the rule.

"Which is much important - the rules oregon someone's life?" said a remark which was liked by thousands.

"Did they miss the 'golden period' to rescue him?" work different remark nether a hashtag connected Zhang's death, which has been a trending taxable connected Weibo for days.

Others called for the Badminton World Federation to "overhaul" the rules, with 1 saying: "Why bash we request support erstwhile lives are astatine stake?"

Chinese authorities media outlet Xinhua published a commentary connected Tuesday greeting saying the incidental "raised captious questions" astir exigency effect procedures astatine sports events.

"Regardless of however rules are formulated oregon however referees officiate, prioritising beingness should ever beryllium the highest regularisation connected the playing field," it said.

Zhang had been hailed arsenic a rising prima successful the sport, and his decease has prompted respective tributes and condolences.

Badminton Asia said they were "immensely saddened" and added that "the satellite of badminton has mislaid a talented player".