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War of words on badminton's scoring

By Dave Thompson
January 28, 2003 16:50 IST
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Badminton's war of words over the sport's scoring has heated up with a senior international figure accusing England of playing "old-fashioned badminton under ancient laws".

Badminton Association of England chief executive Stephen Baddeley hit back on Tuesday, dubbing the current scoring system "nonsensical".

England are at odds with an IBF decision last year to make women's and mixed doubles 3x11 (best-of-three games, first to 11) instead of the traditional 3x15.

Led by Baddeley, they have forced an IBF extraordinary general meeting to try to drop 3x11 which they say discriminates against women. They also argue the decision was reached unconstitutionally.

In a defiant gesture, this weekend's English national championships will use 3x15, prompting Torsten Berg, chairman of the IBF's administration committee, to observe: "If they go on and play mixed doubles and women's doubles to 15 it is not badminton.

"I suppose it could be called old-fashioned badminton under ancient laws."

Baddeley, who secured the support of 30 countries to force the EGM, countered: "I thought the IBF were well aware that we have not adopted the new, inequitable and nonsensical scoring system and have retained the traditional scoring system within our regulations.

"The nationals will be played according to our regulations."

The EGM will be held on March 22 at Eindhoven in the Netherlands during the Sudirman Cup, badminton's world team championships.

England are to press for 5x9 which they see as equitable and more television friendly. It would also represent a rapprochement with a year-long IBF experiment with 5x7 which proved unpopular with traditionalists, critics feeling games were over too quickly.

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Dave Thompson
Source: REUTERS
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