Karnataka High Court directs Badminton Association of India to frame guidelines to sanction tournaments

HC directs BAI to frame guidelines for acceptance of applications & sanctioning of tournaments in consultation with BWF. Guidelines to allow unseeded players & those ranked below 50 to participate in tournaments. Provision for making applications & seeking sanction for tournaments. Calendar of events to be taken into account to avoid clash.

The High Court of Karnataka has directed the Badminton Association of India (BAI) to frame guidelines for acceptance of application and sanctioning of tournaments, in consultation with the Badminton World Federation (BWF).

While refusing to accept the BAI’s contention that there is no provision in its bylaw for receiving applications from private entities for sanctioning tournaments, the court pointed out that the regulations of the BWF contain the provision for consideration of applications for organising tournaments by the entities.

Justice R. Devdas issued the direction while disposing of the petitions filed by Bitsport Pvt. Ltd., the promoter of Grand Prix Badminton League, and a few badminton coaches and umpires. The petitioners had questioned the action of the BAI in refusing to allow the league and warning the players and coaches, who are members of the BAI, from participating in the “unsanctioned” league.

The court said that care should be taken to make provision in the proposed guidelines to allow unseeded players and/or players ranked below 50 in the international circuit, in such tournaments which would be in the interest of the sport and many such players who aspire to compete in the international level. The court has set a deadline of six months to formulate and publish the guidelines.

Pointing out that BWF’s regulations specifically deal with the top-50 ranked players and to ensure their participation in the national and international tournaments recognised or organised by the BFW by pre-scheduling these tournaments, the court said that other players, either not ranked or placed below the top 50 ranks cannot be prevented from participating in tournaments other than the ones recognised and organised by the BWF or the member associations.

It is for allowing these players, either not ranked or ranked below 50, the BWF regulations have made the provision for making applications and seeking sanction for the conduct of tournaments, the court said. Obviously, if top-ranked players are to be invited to such tournaments, the calendar of events already scheduled by the BWF should also be borne in mind, to avoid a clash, the court noted.