Paris: The Taiwanese badminton team faced unsettling incidents during their recent participation in the 2024 France Open in Paris. Prior to the start of the tournament, Taiwanese coach Chen Hung-ling reported the theft of his luggage, and there were suspicions of unauthorized entry into other players’ rooms.
The theft occurred during the team’s stay at the officially designated hotel by the tournament organizers. Coach Chen Hung-ling’s personal luggage was stolen during the shuttle bus transfer from the airport to the hotel.
Both 2020 Tokyo Olympics men’s doubles gold medalists, Wang Chi-lin and Lee Yang, took to social media to reveal incidents of luggage theft and rooms being forcefully opened at night.
Furthermore, Tai Tzu-Ying, the top women’s singles player from Taiwan, shared a harrowing experience on social media. She expressed, “The area around where we are staying seems a bit dangerous this time. Someone opened the room door in the middle of the night, and there was even someone entering the room. Someone’s luggage was stolen.” She further disclosed that she tried various methods, using items inside the room, to block her room door from being easily opened externally. She explained, “Because the room that was originally opened in the middle of the night actually belonged to me…”
The Taiwanese team officially reported the incidents to the organizers and the hotel, filed a police report, and requested improved security measures.
The Super 750 France Badminton Open is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, but these security incidents have added an unexpected twist to the pre-tournament preparations. Coach Chen Hung-ling’s luggage theft and reports of intruders opening room doors have raised concerns about the safety of the players.
This year’s France Badminton Open, moved from October to March as a prelude to the Paris Olympics, is crucial for testing the newly constructed badminton venue. However, the recent security incidents have prompted worries about the safety of the players in the lead-up to the Olympics.
Coach Chen Hung-ling said that he suffered an estimated loss of around NT$50,000, including a laptop containing important research and competition data. He expressed hope for a resolution to the problem.
