Source: REUTERS/IVAN ALVARADO
[Saba Sports News] The 2024 French Badminton Open officially began on
March 5. As the competition takes place at La Chapelle Stadium, the venue for
the Paris Olympic badminton events, players from around the world consider the
French Open highly significant and arrive in France several days in advance to
prepare. However, the Chinese Taipei team faced a theft incident. Players Tai
Tzu-ying, Lee Yang, Wang Chi-Lin, and others encountered thieves in the hotels
where they were staying, which left them frightened. Tai Tzu Ying, the former
world number one in women’s singles, shared on her Instagram that her room door
was opened during the night, and someone entered to steal. Fortunately, no
significant damage occurred, but her teammate’s suitcase was stolen. Tai Tzu
Ying tried various methods to secure the door, and her online fans also helped
her come up with solutions. The last measure she took was using a badminton
racket to block the lock, always ready to confront the thief. It is worth
noting that the hotel arranged by the French Open organizers is a four-star
establishment. However, even in such a high-end hotel, intruders managed to
break in and steal luggage. Interestingly, there is a second-hand trading
market across from the players’ hotel, where it is suspected that the thieves
might attempt to sell the stolen items. The Chinese Taipei team has reported
the situation to the tournament and the hotel, requesting increased security
measures.