GOPICHAND SLAMS ‘ CRAMPED SCHEDULE’

Pullela Gopichand slammed the cramped schedule, with the Badminton World Federation making it mandatory for top shuttlers to play at least a dozen tournaments in a year from 2018.

“I think they’ve cramped the calendar too much. It’s unfortunate the kind of thinking that the Badminton World Federation has. And I don’t agree to what they have in terms of getting players to play so many tournaments,” Gopichand said here on Wednesday.

“There are players who’re already getting injured, performances have not been consistent at all and it doesn’t help the player’s cause when they have to continue to push themselves to play so many tournaments.

“There’re so many ways of ensuring that the sport is promoted and cramping up the calendar and forcing the players to play is not a very good idea.”

Besides the BWF tournaments, Indian shuttlers will line up for events like Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games next year.

Gopichand hoped that the shuttlers’ display would be better than last time despite cramped schedule for singles players ranked in the top 15 and doubles players if anyone ranked in the top 10.

“Every two years we have these big events. We are hoping we will come out strongly. In 2014 there were good performances and hopefully we can better it.” Gopichand agreed with badminton great Prakash Padukone on the need to train Indian coaches.

“I think this is an aspect which for the last few years has been a challenge for the entire ecosystem which brings the best players back into the sport. The job of coaches doesn’t end with giving players only training.”