Source: REUTERS/IVAN ALVARADO
[Saba Sports News] A man in Zhengzhou, China,
discovered a “participation card” that was claimed to belong to
Singaporean badminton star Loh Kean Yew. Uncertain about what to do with the
document, the man turned to the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu in
hopes of finding the rightful owner. Reports state that the man found the card
while on his way home from the Zhengzhou Olympic Sports Center. The card
featured a printed image of Loh Kean Yew’s face, along with text, the
Singaporean flag, and the words “Paris 2024” with the Olympic logo.
Initially, the man believed it to be a coaching certificate from the center’s
badminton hall. However, upon researching Loh Kean Yew’s name, he realized that
the individual mentioned was a prominent badminton star. He was amazed to think
that he had walked the same path as a world-class player. This incident
garnered significant attention on Xiaohongshu. Subsequently, the media reached
out to Loh Kean Yew’s team, who confirmed that the certificate was a fake. They
reiterated that Loh Kean Yew had not lost any participation certificate. The
truth emerged that the card was an exclusive creation by Loh Kean Yew’s fans.
Further investigation by the media revealed that many Chinese retailers on the
shopping platform Taobao were selling similar cards featuring various
professional athletes. Some even offered customization options to include the
words “Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games” if desired.