Chinese sports brand up-and-comer Li Ning has opened its first store outside of the country, though it didn't go far. The newest themed flagship shop will be in Singapore's ION Orchard Mall. The theme: badminton paradise, which will focus on the sport's equipment and maintenance. According to Li Ning CFO Nicholas Chong, "Badminton is a popular, prevalent and influential sport in Southeast Asia, including Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Expansion into this market not only shows our determination to become the sports brand synonymous with badminton, it also lays a solid foundation for the group's expansion into overseas markets." Considering how badminton players tend to appear on billboards here with the same badassedness as basketball and football players in the U.S., we guess that's not a bad strategy to hedge on after all. Source: Brand Republic more ›

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• A shuttlecock fight of epic proportion [theage.com.au] "Emerging superpower China annoyed neighbouring Malaysia this week as an unprecedented Chinese domination of badminton's showpiece event — the All-England Championships — led to heated claims of match-fixing."
• Rumor: Focus Media Executives In China May All Resign [Digital Marketing Inner Circle] "In what is some hot gossip circulating in the digital marketing industry in Beijing is that former Focus Media CEO Tan Zhi will collectively resign with the other Focus Media executives once the executive adjustment plan post the merger of some of its businesses with Sina.com."
• Chinese Officials Prohibit Blizzard's Lich King Expansion [Life from Wired.com] "Chinese World of Warcraft fans will have to wait even longer to enjoy the Wrath of the Lich King expansion, as the Chinese government has twice rejected applications for its release."

Los Angeles Sol signs Chinese player more ›

In honor of the Beijing Olympics, Shanghai’s #1 fag hag scoured the city for info on gay sports. Everyone knows a large gay contingent can be found daily at our most popular gyms. However, did you realize Shanghai also hosts gay swimming (we’re sure Michael Phelps or Zhang Lin are welcome), badminton, table tennis, volleyball and even kungfu! more ›

One of the first sport scandal stories of 2008 was an on court fight involving current world number one men’s badminton player Lin Dan. The Badminton World Federation investigated and have released a statement to conclude. more ›