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Despite amounting calling for a professional badminton league, the national team head coach Li Yongbo has voiced his opinion on this issue.

Li Yongbo has ruled out the possibility of launching a domestic professional league.

Li, the Chinese badminton gura, said a three-month professional league as suggested by some people, might hamper China's "Olympic Project".

Li Yongbo points out that Chinese shuttlers are too busy running from one tournament to another on a tight international calendar. They sometimes have to skip some less important events to save energy. Therefore, they have hardly any time or stamina to spare for a professional league.

In addition, Li says the domestic market is not mature at this stage. China launched its first professional league, in soccer, in 1993. (known as Division A then).

Basketball, volleyball and table tennis have then taken their strides in the marketplace.

However, Li Yongbo noted, many problems, even crisis, have emerged in the process of professionalization, or rather commercialization, of these sports.

Li declined to elaborate on specific issues, saying these issues are too obvious to be neglected.

Li Yongbo adds that Chinese sports fans have a special feeling particularly towards Olympic medals, resulting in a lack of enthusiasm for local professional leagues. Enterprises are also reluctant to invest in the professional leagues.

The football China Super League, for instance, struggled to support its teams last season since former sponsor, Dutch electronics maker Philips, departed after a scandal-ridden first season.

All in all, the national team manager says he prefers to keep badminton players away from an un-mature market. Li stresses that Olympic medals, especially the gold medals, will better accelerate the promotion of badminton across China.

(CRI English March 7, 2006)