Shuttler Prannoy unhappy with proposed rule changes
Indian ace shuttler HS Prannoy is not happy with the Badminton World Federation’s (BWF) proposal to tweak the scoring system and reduce on-court coaching, saying such changes will not achieve the aim of increasing commercial value of the sport.
The BWF Council has proposed that on-court coaching, which is allowed at the 11-point lemon break and at the end of every game in a match, be reduced. The proposal also suggests “reduce time being taken between points” and “reduce warm-up time” and “racket testing” -- all aimed at increasing the commercial value of the sport and enhance the quality of its broadcast product.
The plan will require endorsement at the BWF’s Annual General Meeting in Bangkok in May to be implemented in international badminton. World No. 11 Prannoy said: “Badminton is an extremely fast sport and if you don’t have enough break, you have hardly time to breath, you can’t swipe sweat, you can’t go out or have water, I mean all the rules are against the players.
“There are days when things don’t fall into place, so you need your coach on those days by your side because they know you best,” he said.
The world body’s panel has also called for a best-of-five format
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instead of the current threegame structure. It has also been suggested that games be of 11 points each instead of the current 21-point format.
Prannoy felt the proposed changes could give an advantage to players who are unfit.
“I’m not really supportive of this format, because I don’t find 21 point to be boring. Probably, it would be an advantage for them who are not physically fit. I think in coming years we will find many players who were not been in the top 30 suddenly be in the top 30. I’m not really happy with the rule change,” he said.
The BWF Council’s reason of proposing the changes is to optimise the presentation of badminton at the highest level, increase the commercial value of the sport and enhance the quality of its broadcast product.
“I don’t understand how tennis is spectator friendly when match goes on for five hours, where everything is slow. Whereas a badminton match is hardly 90 minutes and even then if people are not able to push through then I would say it is because the sport is not popular and it is not about the format or game,” he said.
“If TV can telecast a five hour tennis match why can’t they show one quarterfinal day (in badminton) where the entire proceedings would be five hours. So I don’t think changing format, whether you make it 11-point or 15-point, would make any difference.”