IBF set to experiment with shortened scoring system
KUALA LUMPUR (JP): Badminton is to experiment with a seven- point scoring system instead of 15 in a best-of-five game match.
International Badminton Federation (IBF) chief executive Neil Cameron said on Sunday the scoring system would be tried out at the World Junior Championships in Guangzhou, China, in November.
Speaking at a news conference after the IBF's annual general meeting, Cameron said the modification of the point system was long proposed. Previous experiments with a nine-point scoring system were unsuccessful.
"The new point counting system of seven points must be tried in international events. Should both players tie at 6-6, the setting point is two."
Cameron said the meeting also decided to stop matches in the Thomas and Uber cups and the Sudirman Cup, all team events, when one team had already won three matches in a best-of-five match tie.
"The main consideration is that spectators are not interested anymore in the remaining matches and television is not broadcasting the match anymore," Cameron said. "We want to reduce the total length of the match because in certain circumstances, even fanatical fans can't stand to watch a very long match. If the players want to continue fight, I will have to say 'I'm sorry but that's what the new regulation says'."
Rejected was the IBF Council's proposal for the exclusion of all team events from the IBF's world ranking as of Jan. 1, 2001.
The meeting also discussed selection of the host for the 2002 Thomas and Uber cups, with no countries so far making bids.
Cameron said several countries proposed hosting the event's qualifying rounds, which will be decided this week.
The candidates for the Asia-Oceania zone qualification are Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia while the nominees for the European zone qualification are the Czech Republic and the Netherlands.
IBF is considering to staging the first qualifying round in Jamaica as Pan America countries have to spend more should they have to compete in either Europe or Asia.
The federation is likely to give a second chance to this year's host Malaysia to stage the final. However, it will have to be discussed further with the organizing committee on hosting the next event.
Sunday's meeting also discussed India's proposal to set up a special committee to supervise the possibility of relocating the IBF's headquarters in Cheltenham, England, to one of several cities in Asia. The proposal, which was discussed in last year's meeting in Copenhagen, tallied 105 ballots in agreement and 84 ballots against.
Cameron said: "The proposal on the headquarters removal was on the high operation cost basis."
The committee will give its report and recommendation to the IBF on the possibility of relocating the office.
"It will study the amount of money that we can save by moving our headquarters and the figure to spend on the infrastructure construction, teach new staff and other complex matters.
"I personally prefer that the IBF think about improving the sport in order to attract more sponsors and get more money instead of the argument on removal of the headquarters." He added the IBF received a donation of US$168,000 from the England Sports Council. (yan)