Taiwan Open is on as planned despite the odds

PETALING JAYA: The Taiwan Open badminton championships will be held as planned from Sept 1-6.

The organisers Chinese Taipei Badminton Association (CTBA) have insisted on holding the tournament despite facing financial difficulties amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to reports in Taiwan, the tournament has been given the go-ahead by the country’s Central Epidemic Command Centre (CECC).

However, the tournament is facing funding difficulties due to the withdrawal of corporate sponsors and the impending poor ticket collection as only a maximum 2,000 spectators will be allowed.

Despite that, the CTBA are still keen on proceeding because of the sentimental value of the tournament which has been held annually since 1980.

“The tournament has been held for so long, and it also marks the return of the first (badminton) competition in six months. Everyone is looking forward to it,” said CTBA secretary-general Lee Yu-lung.

The status of the Taiwan Open had been thrown into doubt after the Badminton World Federation’s (BWF) plans of restarting the season in August were foiled by the cancellation of two lower-tier events, the Hyderabad Open and Lingshui China Masters.

Malaysian players did well in last year’s Taiwan Open with Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong winning the men’s doubles title and Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying making it to the semi-finals.

In 2018, Lee Zii Jia clinched the men’s singles title for his career’s biggest title to date.