Badminton athlete Zhang Zhijie plays in a match in Nanchang, East China's Jiangxi Province,on March 28, 2024. Photo: VCG

The Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) said that they had withdrawn the team handling the body of Chinese teenage badminton player Zhang Zhijie, who died after collapsing to the floor when competing at the Badminton Asia Junior Championships in Indonesia, according to a report released by CNN Indonesia on Sunday,

After two weeks from the tragic passing of the Chinese badminton talent, PBSI decided to withdraw from accompanying the body of Zhang to Dr. Sardjito Hospital.

"As of July 12, our team has said goodbye to Zhang's family and the Chinese Badminton Association (CBA) team because there are many matters to attend to for next week," Armand Darmadji, chairman of the organizing committee of the championships, told the CNN Indonesia.

The PBSI will still provide assistance if the CBA and Zhang Zhijie's family need help, Darmadji said. 

A staff member from the CBA told the Global Times on Wednesday that they have no comment about the current situation and will release an official report about it later.

"We have sent a letter to the chairman of the CBA stating that we have limitations and still want to help, but this is the maximum extent we can go. If there is anything else, we are still available. If the family wants the deceased to be repatriated, we will still help and will send a team there again to handle it," Darmadji added. 

The latest update following Zhang's tragic passing over two weeks ago has sparked growing outrage on Chinese social media over the Indonesian side's attitude toward the incident. 

"The actions of the PBSI are extremely irresponsible and show sheer disrespect toward Zhang's family and the Chinese badminton community," said one Chinese netizen on Wednesday. 

The 17-year-old died of cardiac arrest on June 30, after he collapsed in convulsions during a group stage match at the junior championships, according to an earlier press conference by PBSI. 

The on-court first aid that Zhang received has been under scrutiny as video footage shows that after the athlete had fallen to the ground and had begun convulsing, medical personnel did not immediately enter the scene. When they finally arrived, they did not use an automated external defibrillator (AED) or perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Instead, after nearly two minutes, they used a stretcher to carry the athlete off the field to a medical facility. The young player was pronounced dead later at the hospital. 

 Officials from PBSI attributed the delayed medical response captured on video to the necessity for medical personnel to obtain permission from referees to enter the court. 

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) said in a statement on July 2 that Zhang's death was tragic and that all necessary steps would be taken to thoroughly review the matter in consultation with PBSI. 

BWF is waiting for an official report from Badminton Asia and the local organizing committee to assess whether correct medical procedures were followed during the incident, the statement said.