Badminton: Skirt rule could be scrapped

Rule to come into effect from June 1, unless appealed at a BWF annual general meeting on May 28.

KUALA LUMPUR: A new rule that orders female badminton players to wear short skirts could be scrapped after objections from China, Indonesia and Scandanavian countries.

Women playing in the sport’s top tournaments are compelled to wear skirts or dresses, even if they are worn over the top of shorts or trousers. But wearing shorts and trousers alone is banned.

The Kuala Lumpur-based Badminton World Federation (BWF) said it would go ahead from June 1 with the regulation on skirts, which was earlier deferred after an outcry from players and officials.

Those who object to the rule can urge the BWF council to abort the decision at the organisation’s annual general meeting on May 28 in China.



Published in The Express Tribune, May 8^th, 2011.