Li Lingwei

Li Lingwei (, born January 4, 1964) is a Chinese badminton player of the 1980s. She was elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee in 2012, and in December 2016, she was elected vice president of the Chinese Olympic Committee. Li is heavily involved in improving women’s participation and fair representation in sport.

Early years Born in Lishui, Zhejiang, China, on January 4, 1964, Li Lingwei weighed only at birth. Worried about Li’s health, her mother encouraged her to participate in non-contact sports such as badminton but Li indiscriminately loved sports. During her childhood, Li impressed everyone with sporting results such as finishing in first place in the 400-meter run. In 1975 the 11-year-old Li Lingwei was selected to the Zhejiang Provincial Badminton Team; five years later in 1980, she won the National Youth Badminton singles competition and the adult group's doubles championship. After that, she was selected to the national badminton team. In the national team she learned both physical and mental skills under coach Chen Fushou. She entered the 1981 Alba Quartz Badminton World Cup at 17 years of age, reaching her first international final.

Career Athletic career A brilliant all-around player whose court coverage and net play were particularly impressive, she maintained a narrow won/lost edge on her teammate, rival, and sometimes doubles partner Han Aiping. They dominated international women's badminton during most of the 1980s, each winning the then biennial IBF World Championships (now known as BWF World Championships) twice, and winning the IBF World doubles, together, in 1985. They also led Chinese teams that perennially won the biennial Uber Cup (women's world team) competitions. Li won the singles crown at the IBF World Championships in 1983 and 1989. She won Silver at the 1987 World Championships and a Bronze medal at the 1985 World Championships. Li won over 40 open international titles around the world. Besides the three World Championship gold medals her major results included four gold medals in the World Grand Prix Finals, two All England Singles titles, and one All England Women’s Doubles title. Li was also part of the pioneer team which won the first Uber Cup for China in 1984. From 1984 to 1987 Li won four consecutive crowns at the Badminton World Cups in the women's singles event plus three titles in the women's doubles event in 1983, 1986 and 1987.

She retired in 1989, and was inducted into the Badminton Hall of Fame in 1998.

Coaching career After retiring in 1989, Li entered the University of Hangzhou to transfer her skills from playing to coaching. In 1991 Li Ling Wei returned to China's national badminton team, serving as assistant coach of the national team and, starting in December 1994, as head coach of the women's team. She coached the Chinese women's badminton team that won the 1998 Uber Cup Championship. Over the course of her coaching career, Li cultivated top players such as Ye Zhaoying, Gong Zhichao, Gong Ruina and Dai Yun to follow in her footsteps.

Administrative career Li is a strong advocate of women’s rights and has been heavily involved in improving women’s participation and fair representation in world sports bodies such as the BWF and the IOC. Li has stated that, “as women, we have to work harder because we have so many roles to play – mother, daughter or wife – so most of us are in a very challenging situation. We have to work harder than men, otherwise we can’t achieve our goals.” She believed that in comparison to other sports, “badminton is achieving a lot of positive goals, in women’s participation for example, and with equal prize money. And it is the same with participation at events." She became the vice-chair of the Women’s Commission of the BWF in 2009. Li has also been serving as the Deputy Chair of the International Relations Commission of the BWF. Despite being heavily involved with multiple associations, Li still found the time to work as the deputy director in the International Relations Department for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Organizing Committee (BOCOG) from 2003 to 2008.

On May 12, 2002, when she was Chinese Badminton Association Vice-President, Li was elected as IBF member of Council, becoming one of only three women in the council. During her tenure she was also admitted to a doctoral degree at Beijing Sport University, specializing in sociology. In 2003 Li was elected as a member of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and became the only member of the CPPCC National Committee to have been a badminton player. In the same year she was transferred to the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee's Sports Department as a second-level project expert, and then transferred to the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee's International Liaison Department. After the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games she was promoted to the deputy director of the China National Sports General Administration Table Tennis Badminton Management Center, and returned to the Chinese badminton team again after 10 years. In December 2010 Li became the deputy director of the Network Management Center of the State Sports General Administration of China, replacing the retired Gao Shenyang.

Li never competed in the Olympics because badminton did not become an Olympic sport until 1992. However, she was chosen as one of the five retired athletes to carry the Olympic flag during the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In July 2012, she was elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee, receiving 83 votes out of 94. IOC president Jacques Rogge presented her with an "IOC gold medal".

In March 2015 Li served as the director of the tennis sports management center and secretary of the Chinese Communist Party committee, from the official to the main hall level. On December 28, 2016, Li was elected as vice chairman of the Chinese Olympic Committee in the Plenary Session of this organisation.

On July 24, 2024, Li was elected as Executive Board member of the IOC.

Achievements World Championships Women's singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 1989 Senayan Sports Complex, Jakarta, Indonesia Huang Hua 11–6, 12–9 Gold Gold 1987 Capital Indoor Stadium, Beijing, China Han Aiping 12–10, 4–11, 7–11 Silver Silver 1985 Olympic Saddledome, Calgary, Canada Wu Jianqiu 7–11, 9–12 Bronze Bronze 1983 Brøndbyhallen, Copenhagen, Denmark Han Aiping 11–8, 6–11, 11–7 Gold Gold

Women's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1987 Capital Indoor Stadium, Beijing, China Han Aiping Guan Weizhen Lin Ying 7–15, 8–15 Silver Silver 1985 Olympic Saddledome, Calgary, Canada Han Aiping Lin Ying Wu Dixi 15–9, 14–18, 15–9 Gold Gold

World Cup Women's singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 1988 National Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand Han Aiping 11–5, 6–11, 0–11 Silver Silver 1987 Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Han Aiping 11–8, 11–8 Gold Gold 1986 Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia Han Aiping 11–8, 11–3 Gold Gold 1985 Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia Ivana Lie 11–3, 11–2 Gold Gold 1984 Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia Han Aiping 10–12, 11–4, 11–7 Gold Gold 1983 Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Han Aiping 5–11, 1–11 Bronze Bronze 1981 Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Chen Ruizhen 10–12, 11–2, 7–11 Silver Silver

Women's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1987 Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Han Aiping Guan Weizhen Lin Ying 15–10, 11–15, 15–5 Gold Gold 1986 Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia Han Aiping Imelda Wiguna Rosiana Tendean 15–7, 15–7 Gold Gold 1985 Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia Han Aiping Kim Yun-ja Yoo Sang-hee 11–15, 15–11, 3–15 Bronze Bronze 1984 Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia Gillian Gilks Lin Ying Wu Dixi 3–15, 7–15 Bronze Bronze 1983 Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Han Aiping Wu Jianqiu Xu Rong 6–15, 15–8, 15–5 Gold Gold

Asian Games Women's singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 1986 Olympic Gymnastics Arena, Seoul, South Korea Han Aiping 6–11, 9–11 Silver Silver 1982 Indraprastha Indoor Stadium, New Delhi, India Zhang Ailing 6–11, 8–11 Silver Silver

International Tournaments (1 titles, 1 runners-up) Women's singles Year Tournament Opponent Score Result 1982 All England Open Zhang Ailing 4–11, 6–11 Runner-up 1982 Japan Open Fumiko Tōkairin 11–2, 11–2 Winner

IBF Grand Prix (28 titles, 7 runners-up) The World Badminton Grand Prix sanctioned by International Badminton Federation (IBF) from 1983 to 2006.

Women's singles Year Tournament Opponent Score Result 1983 Grand Prix Finals Han Aiping 11–0, 4–11, 11–4 Winner 1984 Indonesian Open Wu Jianqiu 11–7, 11–4 Winner 1984 Malaysian Open Wu Jianqiu 6–11, 11–8, 11–8 Winner 1984 All England Open Han Aiping 11–5, 11–8 Winner 1985 Indonesia Open Han Aiping 11–9, 11–8 Winner 1985 All England Open Han Aiping 7–11, 10–12 Runner-up 1985 Swedish Open Han Aiping 8–11, 11–8, 10–12 Runner-up 1985 Grand Prix Finals Han Aiping 11–3, 11–3 Winner 1986 Hong Kong Open Han Aiping 10–12, 11–8, 12–10 Winner 1986 Japan Open Han Aiping 4–11, 12–9, 12–9 Winner 1986 China Open Han Aiping 3–11, 6–11 Runner-up 1986 Grand Prix Finals Han Aiping 11–5, 11–3 Winner 1987 Indonesia Open Shi Wen 12–10, 11–6 Winner 1987 Malaysian Open Han Aiping 11–3, 2–11, 12–9 Winner 1987 Japan Open Hwang Hye-young 11–3, 11–6 Winner 1987 Scandinavian Open Qian Ping 11–9, 11–6 Winner 1987 China Open Han Aiping 6–11, 11–5, 12–10 Winner 1987 Grand Prix Finals Han Aiping 11–8, 11–5 Winner 1988 Indonesian Open Hwang Hye-young 11–5, 11–6 Winner 1988 China Open Huang Hua 11–1, 7–11, 11–9 Winner 1988 Thailand Open Huang Hua 3–11, 11–6, 11–6 Winner 1988 English Masters Han Aiping 4–11, 11–5, 12–9 Winner 1988 Denmark Open Han Aiping 11–7, 11–7 Winner 1988 Malaysian Open Han Aiping 7–11, 3–11 Runner-up 1989 All England Open Susi Susanti 11–8, 11–4 Winner 1989 Japan Open Huang Hua 11–4, 11–2 Winner 1989 French Open Zhou Lei 11–5, 11–3 Winner 1989 Swedish Open Sun Xiaoqing 11–8, 11–3 Winner

Women's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1985 Indonesian Open Han Aiping Ivana Lie Rosiana Tendean 15–7, 15–8 Winner 1985 All England Open Han Aiping Wu Dixi Lin Ying 15–7, 15–12 Winner 1985 Swedish Open Han Aiping Wu Jianqiu Guan Weizhen 15–12, 15–6 Winner 1986 Hong Kong Open Han Aiping Guan Weizhen Lao Yujing 18–15, 15–9 Winner 1986 Japan Open Han Aiping Wu Dixi Lin Ying 4–15, 8–15 Runner-up 1987 Scandinavian Open Qian Ping Guan Weizhen Lin Ying 1–15, 8–15 Runner-up 1989 French Open Chiu Mei Yin Zhou Lei Sun Xiaoqing 9–15, 10–15 Runner-up

Invitation tournament (2 titles, 1 runners-up) Women's singles Year Tournament Opponent Score Result 1985 Malaysian Masters Han Aiping 6–11, 10–12 Runner-up 1988 Konica Cup Huang Hua 12–9, 11–6 Gold Gold

Women's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1985 Malaysian Masters Han Aiping Wu Dixi Lin Ying 5–15, 15–12, 15–12 Winner

Personal honor

Li won the national award for " Best Athlete" in 1980 and the "Best International Athlete" title in 1985. She was awarded the title of "Sports Elite" and "International Sports Elite" in 1980 and 1985 respectively, and was awarded the "Sports Medal of Honor" by the State Sports Commission seven times. In addition, she has been selected as the "Top Ten National Athletes" for four consecutive times since 1984. In 1989 she was also named as one of China's outstanding athletes in the past 40 years since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.

In terms of honors in the badminton world, Li was awarded the international badminton Distinguished Service Award, the "Outstanding Achievement Award" by the International Badminton Federation in 1994; and was inducted into the Badminton Hall of Fame 4 years later in 1998. Li was a torchbearer at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. At the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games she was a flag bearer. For her Olympic involvement, the IOC honored her with the Women and Sport Award in March 2008.

She also received Medals of Honor of World Labor Day, and Women’s Day, in China.

For her coaching contributions, Li was named one of the National “Top 10 Coaches of the Year” in 1997 and 1998.

Li is a representative of the Ninth National People's Congress, a member of the Standing Committee of the Twelfth National People's Congress, and a member of the Tenth and Eleventh National People's Political Consultative Conference.