Source:
Action Images/ANDREW BOYERS
[Saba
Sports News] The International Badminton Federation recently revealed the list
of nominees for the 2024 Badminton Hall of Fame. The roster includes the names
of numerous world champions. In the men’s singles category, Taufik Hidayat and
Yang Yang, both Olympic champions and leading figures of their time, have
strong chances of being selected this year. In women’s singles, Xie Xingfang
from the Chinese team, despite not having won an Olympic championship, has
secured two World Championship titles and held the top world ranking for an
extended period. Consequently, she is a strong contender for induction into the
Hall of Fame this year. Another potential nominee is Li Xuerui, an Olympic
champion who retired five years ago. In the doubles category, players such as
Lee Yong Dae from South Korea and Yu Yang from China, who have achieved Olympic
and World Championship victories, have garnered significant acclaim and are
likely candidates for the Hall of Fame. According to the regulations of the
International Badminton Federation, Hall of Fame inductees must fulfill two
criteria: they must have retired for at least five years and have a
distinguished record of competition results and consistency. This typically
entails winning Olympic or World Championship titles and attaining long-term
world number one rankings. Some fans have expressed that while Xie Xingfang is
more renowned, Li Xuerui’s superior performance in competitions makes her
selection more compelling than Xie Xingfang’s.