Loh Kean Yew protests umpire decision after quarter-final exit at BWF World Championships
Loh Kean Yew has voiced his frustration over an umpire’s call following his shock quarter-final defeat at the 2025 BWF World Championships in Paris.
Source: @lohkeanyew on Instagram, for illustration purposes only
He raised the issue in a series of Instagram stories, sharing replays of the incident and citing the official rules.
According to Olympics.com, the Singaporean lost in a shock upset on 29 Aug to Canada’s Victor Lai in the quarter-finals of the BWF World Championships.
Shock exit for Loh Kean Yew
Although he was widely favoured to win, the 2021 world champion was beaten in two tightly fought sets, 22–20 and 21–18.
With the victory, Lai secured Canada’s first-ever medal at the Championships.
Loh, who had missed two months of the season due to illness, said he still considered his run in Paris a relative success.
“Honestly, I think I actually exceeded my own expectations in terms of performance, because I wasn’t prepared at all when I came here,” he said.
Even so, the loss — and the disputed call — left him visibly frustrated.
Umpire does not call fault
During a crucial rally in the second game, Lai scrambled to retrieve a shot at the net but lost his footing in the process, sending him tumbling.
He slid under the net and fully crossed into Loh’s side of the court.
Source: @lohkeanyew on Instagram
Despite what appeared to be a violation of the rules, the umpire did not call a fault on Lai.
Loh’s return went wide, handing the Canadian the point even as he rolled on the floor.
Source: @lohkeanyew on Instagram
According to BWF rules, a player is faulted if he or she “invades an opponent’s court under the net with racket or person such that an opponent is obstructed or distracted”.
Loh voices his frustration after the match
After the match, Loh voiced his frustration with the umpire’s decision.
“The umpire decided that I wasn’t distracted, he made the decision that I wasn’t affected by it, and anyway I think this is certainly something new,” he said. “I never thought you could go over the net without getting a fault without touching the net.”
He went further on Instagram, writing: “I don’t usually post things like this because @bwf.official’s umpire’s call is absolute and they will not change it whether or not they are right or wrong, with or without replay.”
But he’s literally sleeping on my side of the court????
Even as he protested the call, Loh still credited his rival for the victory, clarifying that his concern was more about fair play than the result.
“A loss is a loss, and Victor did play well today so the credit goes to him,” Loh wrote on Instagram. “But this isn’t just about winning or losing, it’s about upholding the principle of sports and fair umpiring.”
Source: @lohkeanyew on Instagram
Loh later shared another post acknowledging that although the outcome was “not the finish [he] dreamed of”, it was “another lesson gained”.
“Grateful for every opportunity and every cheer. Eyes forward, heart stronger, and better health,” he wrote.
Also read: Loh Kean Yew wins Taipei Open, snags 1st title in 14 months
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Featured image adapted from @lohkeanyew on Instagram and Instagram.
