BWF move irks players, coaches

The Badminton World Federation’s (BWF) decision to consider tweaking the current scoring system found opposition from great Lin Dan and India coach Pullela Gopichand.

The BWF has put out three options comprising two games of 21 each with the decider, if needed, played for 11 points, or 15 points for each game or to play five games of nine points each. A difference of two points would still be needed to win.

The Chinese, who is here for the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals, felt that frequent changes to scoring might not work in the best interest of the sport. The last time BWF effected the change in scoring system was in 2006 when the existing 21-point rally format was introduced.

“It (format) has been changed for quite sometime, from 9, 15 to 21 points, and now they are trying to change it again. I think this is not the best part of the badminton to change the scores time and time again.  It is not good for the game.  There is nothing wrong with the present system,” Lin, a two-time Olympic and five-time All England winner, said.

Gopichand concurred and said such tinkering could affect the players adversely. “The sport has grown in popularity with this point format and I don’t want it to be tinkered too much. From coaches perspective it is not something I want to see changed. If it is changed, there are a lot of things which we would need to do. We have just got used to the current scoring system,” he said.

“As a player I was not happy when the point format changed. Immediately post the All England (in 2001) we had the point format changed and it was bad for me. From the players perspective tinkering is not advisable unless there are drastic reasons, I don’t see any drastic reasons.”

He said there was no reason to change when nobody has complained. “Players are not complaining, spectators are not complaining, then why tinker with it? If the sport is stuck somewhere you have reasons to change but if the sport is not stuck what is the need?” he asked. Former national coach Vimal Kumar added: “The current format is doing well. They (BWF) should be doing and focussing on bringing people to arena.”