New China badminton chief vows to fight graft after predecessor removed

BEIJING – China's freshly appointed badminton leader pledged on Tuesday to wage a battle against corruption, following the recent probe into the man he succeeded, who has been missing for months. Two-time Olympic gold winner Zhang Jun, who previously headed the Chinese Badminton Association (CBA), faced accusations of grave disciplinary and legal infractions in April.

The term "serious violations of discipline and law" is frequently employed in China to denote corruption. On Tuesday, the CBA announced that Zhang Xin, an official from China's General Administration of Sport, would assume the presidency. During his appointment announcement, Zhang emphasized the CBA's firm commitment to the fight against corruption, urging individuals to "not dare to be corrupt, not be corrupt, and not desire to be corrupt."

Under the leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping, a massive purge of officials has been underway, penetrating various sectors, including sports. Upon his arrival on Tuesday, CBA vice-president Xia Xuanze was concurrently removed from his position. Xia, an Olympic bronze medalist in 2000, was placed under investigation in August for suspected serious legal infractions. Badminton boasts a strong presence in China, consistently emerging as the most triumphant nation at the Olympic Games.