Badminton fans have been extremely ecstatic for the past week. We can’t blame them. After all, the Petronas Malaysia Open 2022, which began on 28th June, has brought all their favourite players here!
Fans have been all over the players since they arrived. From Viktor Axelson, to Kento Momota (桃田 賢斗), to even our local players, there hasn’t been a moment of peace for these shuttlers. Unfortunately, some fans also saw fit to swarm these players while disregarding their feelings, which is a big no-no from others.
While most fans hoped to run into their badminton stars during the tournament, others apparently tried their luck by waiting at their hotels. One netizen in particular claimed it had paid off for them, but they regretted it later. “I managed to take a photo (with Kento Momota),” they stated. “But when I looked again, I realised Kento really didn’t want to (take photos).”
The netizen attributed Kento’s reluctance to the epidemic risk as they had crowded him for a photo. However, Kento apparently shouldered on as he wanted to make a good impression on the fans. Still, Kento soon got tired of the crowding and the attention. “He felt someone touch him and shook his own hand vigorously,” the netizen recounted. “This fan shouldn’t have done that.”
Other netizens have also cautioned fans about approaching shuttlers without asking for permission. They claimed they have seen fans shoving mobile phones in the players’ faces and reaching out to touch them without consent. One netizen even pointed out how fans had swarmed Kento after his final showdown with Viktor Axelson when he was returning to the hotel.
There has always been plenty of support for badminton players, regardless of where they are from. In fact, some might say that these players receive the same attention artists and actors do! However, not all attention is good attention, especially when it’s unwanted.
Hopefully these local fans start asking the shuttlers for permission before going ham with their cameras. If you wouldn’t like someone randomly taking photos of you and touching you without warning, what makes you think they will?
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