BWF must end indiscriminate withdrawals, says Christensen
News 11:16 AM
KUALA LUMPUR: The Badminton World Federation (BWF) are losing control over countries withdrawing their top players from major tournaments at will.
And calls have been made to restore order by imposing heavy penalties or face a drop in stature of their major events.
On Sunday, China withdrew most of their top shuttlers from the Denmark Open citing fatigue as the reason after they had just competed in their national Games.
The Denmark Open is the ninth leg of the BWF’s premier Super Series. It was not the first time that China had turned their backs on major BWF events. They also chose not to compete in the Super Series Masters Finals in Sabah last year.
A similar habit has also crept into junior tournaments.
South Korea are skipping the World Junior Championships in Alor Setar this week because most of their players are involved in a national tournament.
Currently, the BWF impose a US$250 fine on a player for withdrawing from the tournament after confirmation of entry.
Dane Peter-Gade Christensen, who is now the top seed of his home Open in the absence of three-time world champion Lin Dan of China, called for quick action from the BWF.
“I believe that the withdrawal is beneath contempt and disrespectful towards the tournament. It is time that BWF introduce some penalties to ensure that this does not happen again,” said Christensen on the tournament’s official website www.denmarkopen.dk.
“My preparation for this tournament does not change although the Chinese are not coming. I will still do everything in my power to win the title again,” he said.
“It is obviously unfortunate that the other Danes and I do not get the chance to meet the Chinese players on home soil – and most of all pity for the tournament. I would have loved to face Lin Dan in a big tournament in Denmark.”
The BWF’s newly-appointed chief operating officer (COO), Thomas Lund, left the federation’s headquarters in Kuala Lumpur yesterday for the Denmark Open and he will have a lot to answer when he arrives in Odense.
Posted by Lucas Liau
on 11:16 AM.
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