"Betrayed and discarded after use?" Lin Xiaojun faces forced retirement from the Chinese national team after the humiliation of winning 'no medals'

[Financial News] With Wu Dajing, a gold medalist at the 2018 Winter Olympics, appointed as the new head coach of the Chinese national short-track speed skating team, the position of naturalized Korean-born athlete Lin Xiaojun (Korean name: Lim Hyo-jun) on the national team is being seriously threatened.
Recently, an article titled "Coach Wu Dajing's first challenge: Should Lin Xiaojun, who has undergone nine surgeries, be forced to retire or remain on the team?" was published on the Chinese portal Baidu, fueling controversy over Lin Xiaojun's future. The article pointed out that the Chinese short-track team failed to win a gold medal at the 2026 Milan–Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics and strongly argued for the need for a sweeping generational shift.
Although Lin Xiaojun competed in every event, including the men's 500m, 1000m, and 1500m, at the Milan Olympics, he failed to win a medal. Immediately after the Games, he expressed his determination to compete at the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps. However, public opinion in China remains skeptical, citing his history of frequent injuries.
Local media focused on the fact that Lin Xiaojun underwent surgery as many as nine times during his athletic career. In particular, they intensified their criticism by quoting comments from the Chinese national team coaching staff at the time: "Lin Xiaojun urgently needed surgery for a dislocated shoulder in November 2024, but postponed it for the Harbin Asian Games in February 2025 and underwent the operation only after winning the gold medal." They added that "repeated shoulder surgeries prevented him from completing systematic training."


Criticism has also emerged that he is obstructing the generational shift. Some in Chinese sports circles are pressuring the team, saying, "If Lin Xiaojun continues to receive preferential treatment, the room for young prospects such as Sun Long and Zhang Bohao to develop will inevitably shrink," and, "Coach Wu Dajing must make decisions based on reliable data and scientific evidence, not personal relationships."
New head coach Wu Dajing, who took charge through an open selection process conducted by the Winter Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China on the 12th of last month, was born in 1994. He is an iconic figure in Chinese short-track speed skating, having won consecutive gold medals at the 2018 Winter Olympics and the 2022 Winter Olympics.
It has not yet been officially confirmed whether Lin Xiaojun will retire. However, under Wu Dajing's leadership, which must pursue a strong generational shift with the 2030 Olympics in mind, attention is focused on whether the veteran, plagued by poor results and injuries, can survive and continue his difficult journey.


[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter