Jayce
According to Danish media outlet TV2, just before the 2024 Korea Open, Danish badminton star Anders Antonsen discovered that his coach, Pedersen, was involved in betting activities. In response, Antonsen dismissed his coach and chose to compete in the tournament alone.
Since Viktor Axelsen left the Danish national team in 2021 to establish his own training base in Dubai, Antonsen followed suit the next year, also training in Dubai long-term. This year, in preparation for the Paris Olympics, both players returned to the Danish national team to fight for national glory. Ultimately, Axelsen claimed the men’s singles gold medal, while Antonsen was unfortunately eliminated in the quarterfinals.
Last week, Antonsen withdrew from the Japan Open due to a shoulder injury. This week, at the Korea Open, the second-seeded Antonsen competed alone without his coach. In the quarterfinal match against Taipei’s Lin Chun-yi, he fought through three sets but lost 1-2 (13-21, 21-17, 19-21), ending his run in the top eight.
Danish media reported that Antonsen accidentally discovered that his coach, Pedersen, was involved in betting activities. Although the bets did not directly involve Antonsen’s matches, such behavior still constitutes a serious breach of sports ethics and professional conduct. Antonsen immediately took action by terminating his partnership with Pedersen and voluntarily reported the matter to the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
On his personal Instagram, Antonsen publicly announced this decision, stating that despite the help and guidance Pedersen had provided, as an athlete, he could not tolerate any form of betting, as it tarnishes the spirit of sportsmanship.
A similar scandal occurred at the 2012 London Olympics when eight women’s doubles players, including Yu Yang/Wang Xiaoli, Kim Ha-na/Jung Kyung-eun, Ha Jung-eun/Kim Min-jung, and Polii/Jauhari, were accused of deliberately losing matches. The incident sparked worldwide condemnation, and the BWF quickly responded by expelling the four pairs involved from the tournament.
In the aftermath, the BWF began cracking down on match-fixing and betting. According to regulations, everyone involved in badminton is subject to oversight, including nearly everyone connected to the sport. Failure to report or cooperate in investigations of illegal betting is also considered a violation, with penalties ranging from multi-year bans to lifetime bans from the sport.
