Gold Medal and World Applause for 'Considerate Play' Toward Injured Opponent: Dazzling Sportsmanship

Baek Hana and Lee So-hee, who secured South Korea's first Asian Games women's doubles badminton gold medal in 24 years, are receiving widespread praise not only for their skills but also for their exceptional sportsmanship.

World No. 2 Baek Hana and Lee So-hee overwhelmed world No. 1 Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning of China 2 to 1 in the women's doubles badminton final at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games held yesterday (September 29).

Following an exhausting 1-hour and 51-minute battle, both pairs were thoroughly fatigued, with China's Liu Shengshu suffering an injury near the end of the match that left her unable to move properly.

However, Baek Hana and Lee So-hee did not choose the easy route of targeting Liu, who was struggling with her movement.

Baek Hana was initially so focused on the game that she didn't even realize her partner Lee So-hee was suffering from muscle cramps, nor did she initially notice Liu's injury.

Once they realized that Liu was not in normal physical condition, however, they chose to play fairly by avoiding targeting Liu as much as possible.

Regarding this, Lee So-hee explained, "Hana said, 'Let's not win despicably,' and 'Let's at least maintain our dignity and manners.'"

Foreign media also praised the sportsmanship of Baek Hana and Lee So-hee.

Hong Kong media outlet HK01 reported, "In the Asian Games women's badminton doubles final, the South Korean pair showed class by not exploiting the weaknesses of their injured opponent," adding, "Although Liu Shengshu suffered the misfortune of experiencing severe leg cramps near the end of the third game, Baek Hana and Lee So-hee showed sportsmanship by focusing their attacks on Tan Ning rather than pressing the injured Liu."

Even though they could have easily scored points by hitting shots that forced Liu to move, Baek Hana and Lee So-hee directed the shuttlecock straight at Liu or exclusively toward Tan.

The outlet emphasized, "Even after the match concluded, the two South Korean players were the first to check on the condition of the injured Liu, displaying exemplary sportsmanship both on and off the court."

Reported by Kim Minjeong | Video by Lee Yu-jin | Graphics by Yook Do-hyun | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.