Those familiar with Lin Dan know that he has a military background and once served in the Bayi Team. However, few realize that this stint in the army was not voluntary but a choice made out of necessity.
At the age of 12, Lin Dan won the men's singles title at the National Children's Badminton Championship. At the time, his greatest dream was to join the Fujian provincial team, and he was confident in his selection. To his surprise, most of his classmates from the sports school were picked by the Fujian team, while he alone was assigned to the Bayi Team. This was a huge blow to the young Lin Dan, leaving him depressed for a long time as he questioned why the Fujian team had rejected him.
When he first joined the Bayi Team, Lin Dan had not yet undergone puberty, and even the smallest size of military uniform fit him loosely. Years of life in the army tempered his will and made his badminton skills increasingly professional. Due to his outstanding performance, Lin Dan was selected by the Chinese Junior Badminton Team to represent Fujian at the 1998 Asian Championships. Unexpectedly, he lost to an Indonesian player right at the start.
After returning to China, Lin Dan faced severe criticism from all his coaches. They scolded him for lacking willpower and professional quality, accusing him of giving up as soon as he fell behind. Lin Dan assumed that a scolding would suffice, but a harsher punishment was yet to come: due to his poor performance on the court, the national junior team unanimously decided to expel him. Completely unprepared, Lin Dan went to the auditorium for a meeting after returning to the team. As soon as he sat down, a coach with a stern face said, "You don't need to sit here anymore. You have been expelled." Thus, under the gaze of all the other team members, Lin Dan left the conference room in a state of embarrassment and disarray.