New Delhi: After the Badminton Authority of India's move to limit players from participating in international events, the game's players' welfare association has decided to take the game's governing body on.
Indian Badminton Players' Welfare Association has asked Sports Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar to "intervene" and reverse the BAI's stand that, according to them, are "regressive steps which is hurting the players".
Top shuttlers in the country have lambasted the BAI's "authoritative" stand to force them to take part in fitness camps instead of gaining valuable exposure in international events.
The Player's Association sent a scathing letter to Aiyar as well as the President of the BAI V K Verma on the buring issue.
Former national champion and coach Vimal Kumar, secretary
of IBPW has accused the BAI of not being transparent and neglecting the concerns of the players and the coaches by citing the reason of preparing for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in the Capital.
"Badminton is an individual event and the logic of BAI to force players to attend its camp is questionable. The players are eligible to play open international tournaments and that is the fundamental right of player, as laid down by Badminton World Federation," the letter said.
BAI, in its meeting held in March, made it mandatory for top national players to attend its camp in Hyderabad during May and June, during the same time two high-profile events will take place in the continent.
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"This is the latest of some extremely regressive steps taken by the BAI, which has hurt the players," it further added.
"BAI's recent decision means that players were unable to attend two important events - the Singapore Open and Indonesian Open. This has seen their world rankings drop by around 20 places each and has effectively ruled them out of the high-profile Super Series events, for which they had built up their rankings over the last two years," it said.
The Player's Association also fears that such a drastic dip in rankings could see the players not qualifying for the Olympics.
"BAI's decision was taken with the intention of sidelining a few players from qualifying for the Olympics."
"BAI's irresponsible decision-making has affected the morale of our players many of whom had played the international circuit last year at their own expense," he said.
"Unfortunately, BAI has now gone back on its word and is insisting that players attend the national camp to be eligible for participation."
Vimal Kumar told PTI that former All-England champion and national coach Pullela Gopichand and Aparna Popat faced a similar situation in 1997, which led to the formation of the players' body.
"Gopichand has himself gone through this phase and I am surprised that as national coach he is himself following it now," Vimal said.
(With inputs from PTI)
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