Talk about BB
Denmark to Indian Badminton? -Tine Baun
Denmark’s list of sporting millionaires in five years’ time could very well include Caroline Woznaicki, Christian Eriksen, Thorbjørn Olesen and ... Tine Baun? Yes, you heard right. Denmark’s top female badminton player, who is currently ranked #7 in the world, could potentially be raking it in thanks to an ambitious badminton project taking place in India at the moment. The Indian Badminton League (IBL), which is scheduled to launch in June, could shoot Denmark’s badminton players to wealth and fame. The league will consist of six teams, each with eleven doubles and singles players. Each team will be allowed to have four foreign players on its books, and the organisers are confident their record-setting prize funds will attract the world’s top players to the league. The potential earnings will far outstrip what Baun and her compatriots earn in Denmark. In a country that favours cricket, organisers knew they had to take a different approach when promoting the sport. “It’s not seen as a glossy, sexy sport,” Ashish Chadha, the CEO of sports promotion company Sporty Solutionz,
Maiden Title For Badminton Bangalore Academy Trainee.
Saif Ali, from BadmintonBangalore Center of Excellence won his maiden trophy in the recently concluded 5 Star State Ranking tournament organised by SadashivNagar Club Bangalore . In the Boys U-15 Doubles Saif Partnerd with Vignesh to take the title getting the better of Akshya Srinivas and Kevin ML 21-19, 21-19. In the U-15 Boys Singles Saif who was a qualifier reached the U-15 final upsetting the top seed Vignesh but his winning run was stopped by second seeded Rahul Bhardhvaj in the Final. Saif later on went on the reach the U-17 doubles final along with his partner Vignesh, eventually losing out to top seeded Akashraj and Siddrath .16-21,12-21.
Can we see more of top Indian Players in Indian Tournaments?
World number two Saina Nehwal could be seen in action in the next senior nationals after a gap of five years if the Badminton Association of India (BAI) enforces the new Players’ guidelines issued recently in letter and spirit.
In a bid to give a new lease of life to the domestic circuit, BAI has now made it mandatory for all players to participate in the Nationals and two international competitions organised in India by the sport’s governing body.
Players with a world ranking above 40 in singles and 25 in doubles will have to also play in at least one senior ranking tournament while all others will have to play two ranking tournaments in addition to the nationals.
According to the new guidelines, if the players fail to adhere to the rules laid down by the BAI, then they can be barred from participating in international tournaments for even six months.
Saina last played in the nationals in 2007 when she won her second national title in Patna. The BAI officials were miffed when the London Olympics bronze medallist pulled out of the Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold meet in Lucknow in the first round citing injury. Saina had skipped the tournament the previous year as well.
With most top players choosing to stay away from domestic tournaments and concentrate on boosting their international ranking, the domestic circuit had taken a hit with organisers forcing cancellation of tournaments in the absence of a quality field.
Page 4 of 12