‘Respect the truth’: China’s Lin Dan still chasing 4 million yuan in wages as former club launches appeal against badminton star
The two-time Olympic champion says he is surprised by the civil action and urges Guangzhou Yueyu to ‘respect the truth’
Shuttler Lin Dan’s unpaid salary battle against his former team Guangzhou Yueyu hangs in the balance after the mainland badminton star was the subject of an appeal by his former club.
Just last month, Lin posted on Weibo that he and five other Yueyu teammates had finally won their battle at the Guangzhou Labour Tribunal and were set to get back the salary they were owed.
Guangzhou Daily has reported the club owe Lin 4 million yuan for his appearance in the 2016-17 China Super League season when Yueyu finished seventh, two places lower than the previous year despite the arrival of Lin from the Liberation Army.
The two-time Olympic champion, back in China after capturing a silver medal in the All England Championships in Birmingham, took to Weibo on Thursday after a civil complaint was lodged by the club in response to the initial court order. Lin said the action caught him by surprise.
“The first time I became a defendant in a court case was because I am not getting the salary I earned playing for the club,” Lin said. “Guangzhou Yueyu badminton club, please do not waste the court resources and respect the truth. Don’t add more bad reputation to the sport.”
According to Guangzhou Daily, team head coach Gao Jun said the club had also failed to pay the coaching team.
After the salary saga surfaced, Yueyu was suspended by the Chinese Super League for the 2017-18 season.
Tencent Sports reported that the club was not happy with the Labour Tribunal’s original decision in favour of Lin and decided to appeal the case in court.
Even if Lin won the first appeal, the club could continue appealing, reported Tencent, making it difficult to ascertain when Lin and his teammates would actually receive their salary.
