Badminton: Olympic champion Chen Long gets world championships wild card

Chen Long reacts during his men's singles quarter-final match against Ng Ka Long Angus at the 2017 Badminton Asia Championships on April 28, 2017. PHOTO: AFP

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama) - Taking into consideration Chen Long's status as the reigning Olympic and world champion, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) has granted the Chinese star a wild card to compete in the world championship in Scotland from Aug 21-27.

BWF in a statement on May 4 said by exercising its prerogative to nominate a wildcard entry in each category, the world governing body of badminton determined that the 28-year-old's stature and fan appeal would enhance the championships at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow.

The world No. 8 won the men's singles title at the last two editions of the world championships as well as the gold medal at last year's Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

He was ranked ninth on April 27 when the qualifying deadline expired, with three Chinese men - Shi Yuqi, Tian Houwei, Lin Dan - ahead of him.

Under the qualifying rules for the world championships, countries can only enter four athletes if they are ranked in the top eight.

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