Olympic badminton superstar Lin demands unpaid salary

Chinese badminton superstar Lin Dan, a two-time Olympic champion, has accused his Super League club of failing to pay him and six others for the 2016-17 season.

Lin Dan [File photo: p5w.net]

Regarded by some as badminton's all-time greatest player, Lin said he was "bitterly disappointed" and threatened to take legal action because, he said, Guangzhou Yueyu badminton club failed to pay.

Lin said the players worked the whole season to keep the club from being relegated despite not getting their wages.

"Our understanding toward the club has been met with repeated delay," the 33-year-old wrote to his 3.6 million followers on his micro blog.

"We have communicated with the club many times about the salary payment; however, the club's attitude in solving this has made people feel helpless and disappointed.

"We did not hold anything back when we were fighting for the club's honor. Please don't let our sweat go to waste."

Another six of the club's players all posted the same statement on their social media accounts.

Guangzhou Yueyu was ranked seventh in the eight-team Super League's 2016-17 season, down from fifth in the previous season.

Lin Dan's compensation for the season, which ended in February, was 4 million yuan ($581,000), Guangzhou Daily reported.

According to the newspaper, team chairman Gao Jun, who is also the head coach, said the club has also failed to pay the coaching staff and the rest of the Chinese players.

Gao said the club has turned its operation rights over to a separate company run by the club's manager, Fu Xun.

"It's not very good that we didn't give salaries for so long. But we are not avoiding this problem either," news portal Tencent Sports quoted Fu Xun as saying.

The club could not immediately be reached for comment.