China make late change as they target 7 badminton gold medals at Asian Games
Men’s doubles player Chen Boyang withdraws from illness but 31-member squad for tough Aichi-Nagoya event remain stacked with experience
The Chinese Badminton Association has announced, just four days before the start of the Asian Games, that men’s doubles player Chen Boyang had withdrawn because of illness, with He Jiting named as his replacement alongside Liu Yi.
On Monday, the association revealed that Chen had suffered a sudden illness. Following consultations between national team doctors and specialists from several hospitals, medical experts confirmed his condition would prevent him from competing.
“To protect the athlete’s health and fully prepare for the Games, the national team considered factors including competitive form, technical characteristics, partnership synergy and major tournament experience, deciding that substitute athlete He Jiting will replace Chen Boyang in the men’s team and men’s doubles events at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games,” the association said.
The badminton tournament will run for 10 days starting on Sunday, the day after the opening ceremony, at the Ichinomiya City General Gymnasium and will bring together traditional powerhouses China, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and Malaysia.