Yong Dae stops training and hires a lawyer

Lee Yong Dae is ready to fight the decision of the BWF. According to local daily The Dong-A Ilbo, the case of Korean legend and his compatriot Kim Ki Jung – who have been handed a one-year suspension for ‘whereabouts’ violations – has been taken up by top Korean law firm Kim & Chang, with a task force headed by American lawyer Jeffrey Jones.  Jones, who served 5 terms as head of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Korea, was already a celebrity in Korea even before he represented football player Park Jong-woo, who had his bronze medal taken away at the London Olympics for making a political statement.

The Koreans have already said they would be appealing the BWF sanction before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland. They have until Feb 17th to file the appeal.

At this moment, both Lee Yong Dae and Kim Ki Jung are not allowed to train at the national training centre and Lee Yong Dae has asked not to train, for the time being, with his pro team Samsung Electromechanics, which is also home to Kim Ki Jung and his partner Kim Sa Rang.  Lee is instead staying at home in his apartment and is not in contact with Samsung, the national team, or the Badminton Korea Association.

The current one-year ban that has been imposed by the BWF will prevent the two players from playing in the Asian Games in Incheon this coming September.  For Kim Ki Jung, this could be his last chance to obtain an exemption from military service, which he would get by winning gold in Incheon.