# Li Yongbo

Li Yongbo (Chinese: 李永波; pinyin: Lǐ Yǒngbō; born September 18, 1962) is a retired Chinese male badminton player and the former head coach of Chinese National Badminton Team.

## Career

As a player, he was a men's doubles specialist noted for his quickness, reflexes, and power. From the mid-1980s to the early 1990s he shared numerous international titles with his regular partner Tian Bingyi. They were contemporaries and rivals of the famous Korean pair Park Joo-bong and Kim Moon-soo, largely dividing badminton's biggest doubles events between them for about eight seasons. Among many other tournaments around the world Li and Tian captured the (then biennial) World Championships in 1987 and 1989, the prestigious All-England Championships in 1987, 1988, and 1991, and the Danish Open in 1985, 1987, 1989, 1990, and 1991. They also played on Chinese Thomas Cup (men's international) teams that won consecutive world team titles in 1986, 1988, and 1990. Late in their partnership they won a bronze medal in men's doubles at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona.
As the Chinese badminton women's doubles coach during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, his players were banned from competition for "tanking" their match against South Korea, who won the match but were also banned similarly (as were the Indonesian women's doubles team). Li has admitted his role in the scandal; insiders say Li used fear tactics and intimidation to a strategic advantage in national and Olympic competition. By losing, his team would have avoided playing another Chinese team.
Following the conclusion of the Rio Olympics, where China won two gold medals, he stood down in 2017.

## Achievements
### Olympic Games

Men's doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1988 | Seoul National University Gymnasium, Seoul, South Korea (exhibition) | Tian Bingyi | Lee Sang-bok Lee Kwang Jin | 15–11, 15–7 | Gold |
| 1992 | Pavelló de la Mar Bella, Barcelona, Spain | Tian Bingyi | Rudy Gunawan Eddy Hartono | 9–15, 8–15 | Bronze |

### World Championships

Men's doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1985 | Olympic Saddledome, Calgary, Canada | Tian Bingyi | Park Joo-bong Kim Moon-soo | 15–5, 7–15, 9–15 | Silver |
| 1987 | Capital Indoor Stadium, Beijing, China | Tian Bingyi | Razif Sidek Jalani Sidek | 15–2, 8–15, 15–9 | Gold |
| 1989 | Senayan Sports Complex, Jakarta, Indonesia | Tian Bingyi | Chen Kang Chen Hongyong | 15–3, 15–12 | Gold |
| 1991 | Brøndby Arena, Copenhagen, Denmark | Tian Bingyi | Jon Holst-Christensen Thomas Lund | 7–15, 9–15 | Bronze |

### World Cup

Men's doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1984 | Senayan Sports Complex, Jakarta, Indonesia | Tian Bingyi | Liem Swie King Hariamanto Kartono | 8–15, 1–15 | Silver |
| 1985 | Senayan Sports Complex, Jakarta, Indonesia | Tian Bingyi | Liem Swie King Hariamanto Kartono | 11–15, 15–11, 11–15 | Silver |
| 1987 | Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Tian Bingyi | Park Joo-bong Kim Moon-soo | 6–15, 15–6, 11–15 | Silver |
| 1988 | National Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand | Tian Bingyi | Razif Sidek Jalani Sidek | Walkover | Gold |
| 1989 | Guangzhou Gymnasium, Guangzhou, China | Tian Bingyi | Park Joo-bong Kim Moon-soo | 10–15, 11–15 | Silver |
| 1990 | Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia | Tian Bingyi | Razif Sidek Jalani Sidek | 12–15, 3–15 | Bronze |
| 1991 | Macau Forum, Macau, China | Tian Bingyi | Park Joo-bong Kim Moon-soo | 16–17, 14–17 | Bronze |

### Asian Games

Men's doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1986 | Olympic Gymnastics Arena, Seoul, South Korea | Tian Bingyi | Park Joo-bong Kim Moon-soo | 8–15, 10–15 | Silver |
| 1990 | Beijing Gymnasium, Beijing, China | Tian Bingyi | Park Joo-bong Kim Moon-soo | 15–8, 15–4 | Gold |

### IBF World Grand Prix (27 titles, 8 runners-up)

The World Badminton Grand Prix sanctioned by International Badminton Federation (IBF) since from 1983 to 2006.
Men's doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1984 | Denmark Open | Tian Bingyi | Morten Frost Jens Peter Nierhoff | 15–7, 15–2 | Winner |
| 1985 | German Open | Ding Qiqing | Zhang Xinguang Tian Bingyi | 15–5, 12–15, 15–7 | Winner. |
| 1985 | Denmark Open | Tian Bingyi | Razif Sidek Jalani Sidek | 17–14, 15–8 | Winner |
| 1985 | Swedish Open | Ding Qiqing | Thomas Kihlström Stefan Karlsson | 15–12, 14–18, 18–15 | Winner |
| 1985 | Indonesia Open | Tian Bingyi | Liem Swie King Hariamanto Kartono | 5–15, 10–15 | Runner-up |
| 1986 | China Open | Tian Bingyi | Huang Zhen Chen Hongyong | 15–6, 15–8 | Winner |
| 1986 | Denmark Open | Tian Bingyi | Dipak Tailor Martin Dew | 15–9, 15–3 | Winner |
| 1986 | English Masters | Tian Bingyi | Dipak Tailor Martin Dew | 11–15, 15–5, 15–11 | Winner |
| 1987 | Scandinavian Open | Tian Bingyi | Michael Kjeldsen Jens Peter Nierhoff | 15–2, 15–11 | Winner |
| 1987 | All England Open | Tian Bingyi | Bobby Ertanto Rudy Heryanto | 15–9, 15–8 | Winner |
| 1987 | China Open | Tian Bingyi | Zhang Qiang Zhou Jincan | 15–10, 15–6 | Winner |
| 1987 | Thailand Open | Tian Bingyi | Eddy Hartono Liem Swie King | 15–13, 15–11 | Winner |
| 1987 | Malaysia Open | Tian Bingyi | Razif Sidek Jalani Sidek | Walkover | Runner-up |
| 1987 | World Grand Prix Finals | Tian Bingyi | Zhang Qiang Zhou Jincan | 15–9, 15–4 | Winner |
| 1988 | Japan Open | Tian Bingyi | Park Joo-bong Kim Moon-soo | 18–15, 15–4 | Winner |
| 1988 | Swedish Open | Tian Bingyi | Chen Kang Chen Hongyong | Walkover | Winner |
| 1988 | All England Open | Tian Bingyi | Razif Sidek Jalani Sidek | 15–6, 15–7 | Winner |
| 1988 | Thailand Open | Tian Bingyi | Razif Sidek Rashid Sidek | 15–3, 15–5 | Winner |
| 1988 | China Open | Tian Bingyi | Chen Kang Chen Hongyong | 13–15, 15–8, 15–3 | Winner |
| 1988 | English Masters | Tian Bingyi | Razif Sidek Jalani Sidek | 15–11, 15–4 | Winner |
| 1988 | Denmark Open | Tian Bingyi | Razif Sidek Jalani Sidek | 15–6, 8–15, 15–4 | Winner |
| 1988 | Malaysia Open | Tian Bingyi | Razif Sidek Jalani Sidek | 15–12, 15–12 | Winner |
| 1989 | Swedish Open | Tian Bingyi | Park Joo-bong Lee Sang-bok | 17–14, 15–2 | Winner |
| 1989 | French Open | Tian Bingyi | Huang Zhen He Xiangyang | 15–3, 15–6 | Winner |
| 1989 | Denmark Open | Tian Bingyi | Razif Sidek Jalani Sidek | 15–10, 15–11 | Winner |
| 1989 | World Grand Prix Finals | Tian Bingyi | Razif Sidek Jalani Sidek | 9–15, 5–15 | Runner-up |
| 1990 | Japan Open | Tian Bingyi | Park Joo-bong Kim Moon-soo | 15–3, 16–17, 13–18 | Runner-up |
| 1990 | Swedish Open | Tian Bingyi | Razif Sidek Jalani Sidek | 15–7, 15–9 | Winner |
| 1990 | All England Open | Tian Bingyi | Park Joo-bong Kim Moon-soo | 14–17, 9–15 | Runner-up |
| 1990 | Singapore Open | Tian Bingyi | Eddy Hartono Rudy Gunawan | 4–15, 8–15 | Runner-up |
| 1990 | Denmark Open | Tian Bingyi | Jesper Knudsen Thomas Stuer-Lauridsen | 15–8, 15–6 | Winner |
| 1991 | All England Open | Tian Bingyi | Park Joo-bong Kim Moon-soo | 12–15, 15–7, 15–8 | Winner |
| 1991 | China Open | Tian Bingyi | Huang Zhanzhong Zheng Yumin | 15–8, 15–10 | Winner |
| 1992 | Korea Open | Tian Bingyi | Park Joo-bong Kim Moon-soo | 10–15, 10–15 | Runner-up |
| 1992 | Japan Open | Tian Bingyi | Chen Kang Chen Hongyong | 15–10, 8–15, 10–15 | Runner-up |