<p>Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has directed the Badminton Association of India (BAI) to prepare guidelines in consultation with Badminton World Federation (BWF) to consider applications of other entities to conduct badminton tournaments.</p>.<p>The court has set BAI a deadline of six months to complete the process.</p>.<p>This move comes as a major boost to Bitsport Pvt. Ltd., the promoters of the Grand Prix Badminton League (GPBL). </p>.<p>In August, news emerged that the second season of the GPBL would be postponed indefinitely after the BAI issued cautionary circulars that reportedly resulted in players pulling out of the tournament. The High Court had then declined to interfere, staying the circulars. </p>.<p>The organisers, with help from badminton coaches and umpires, had filed petitions questioning the BAI's actions.</p>.<p>"We are quite happy with the outcome, it has been a long journey getting to this stage with several hearings," Prashanth Reddy, the commissioner of GPBL and CEO of Bitsport, told DH. </p>.<p>Though Reddy does not feel confident that the BAI will issue the guidelines and encourage private badminton leagues in India, he still plans to go ahead with the second season of GPBL.</p>.<p>"We are going to go ahead with the planning for GPBL season two, regardless of the BAI's further actions. We are going to do it with a majority of foreign players. We hope the BAI realises that the Indian players are missing out if they don't act," Reddy said.</p>.<p>The Karnataka High Court's ruling also mentions a provision to allow unseeded players and/or players ranked below 50 in the international circuit to participate in sanctioned tournaments in the interest of the sport penetrating through to more young players. </p>
<p>Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has directed the Badminton Association of India (BAI) to prepare guidelines in consultation with Badminton World Federation (BWF) to consider applications of other entities to conduct badminton tournaments.</p>.<p>The court has set BAI a deadline of six months to complete the process.</p>.<p>This move comes as a major boost to Bitsport Pvt. Ltd., the promoters of the Grand Prix Badminton League (GPBL). </p>.<p>In August, news emerged that the second season of the GPBL would be postponed indefinitely after the BAI issued cautionary circulars that reportedly resulted in players pulling out of the tournament. The High Court had then declined to interfere, staying the circulars. </p>.<p>The organisers, with help from badminton coaches and umpires, had filed petitions questioning the BAI's actions.</p>.<p>"We are quite happy with the outcome, it has been a long journey getting to this stage with several hearings," Prashanth Reddy, the commissioner of GPBL and CEO of Bitsport, told DH. </p>.<p>Though Reddy does not feel confident that the BAI will issue the guidelines and encourage private badminton leagues in India, he still plans to go ahead with the second season of GPBL.</p>.<p>"We are going to go ahead with the planning for GPBL season two, regardless of the BAI's further actions. We are going to do it with a majority of foreign players. We hope the BAI realises that the Indian players are missing out if they don't act," Reddy said.</p>.<p>The Karnataka High Court's ruling also mentions a provision to allow unseeded players and/or players ranked below 50 in the international circuit to participate in sanctioned tournaments in the interest of the sport penetrating through to more young players. </p>