Badminton World Federation To Test New Experimental Service Law from March next year

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Badminton World Federation To Test New Experimental Service Law from March next year
Badminton World Federation To Test New Experimental Service Law from March next year

As a step to address the issue of questionable decisions being made by service judges during games, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) has decided to test out a new law at the All England Open Championships to be held next year.

The decision to introduce the Experimental Service Law came after criticism from both shuttlers and coaches worldwide  for controversial decision by the judges.

The BWF is planning on testing out the law in all forthcoming prestigious tournaments such as the Thomas & Uber Cup Finals in Bangkok and the BWF World Championships in Nanjing in 2018.

The decision to implement the new law was one of the slew of decisions taken by the BWF Council at its latest meeting  in Montego Bay, Jamaica. The change to be made to the Laws of Badminton will be tabled at the BWF Annual General Meeting to be held in May next year for effecting the testing.

All Grade 1 and Grade 2 Events Will Be A Part Of The New Law Testing

The new law states that “the whole of the shuttle shall be below 1.15 metres from the surface of the court at the instant of being hit by the server’s racket”.

The testing will be carried out at all Grade 1 events except the BWF World Junior Championships and as well as at all Grade 2 Events which are now known as the new BWF tournament series starting April. Continental championships also will be a part of the testing.

Currently the testing is expected to go on until the end of the year.

Speaking on the issue BWF President Poul-Erik Hoyer said that the Council had decided to implement the Experimental Service Law after carrying out investigations and deliberations, and as a measure to improve the service laws application at BWF tournaments.

The BWF intends to hold a training workshop for BWF Umpire Assessors before the new law is rolled out in January in Kuala Lumpur . Subsequently, these BWF Umpire Assessors will hold training sessions in February at the continental team championships.

The training workshops will include a session for learning the use of measuring devices that will capture service height.

Gopichand Demands A Standardized Service Law

Pullela Gopichand India’s chief coach  has criticised the ambiguousness of the current service rule and asked that a standardized one be implemented.

Speaking at the Denmark Open, Gopichand pointed out that it was “absurd” that when players play at 10 tournaments, only in some occasions umpires call a foul as a result of the rules being “so ambiguous” .

He emphasised that consistent calling of faults was important as service is a critical aspect and there should be a “level field” in it.

India’s mixed doubles pair of N Sikki Reddy and Pranaav Jerry Chopra had struggled with questionable decisions made by the service judge during the opening round of the Denmark Open.

In March this year, Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) asked that cameras be installed behind a service judge and players be allowed to challenge umpire calls of service faults.

 

 

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