Pullela Gopichand slams BWF over implementation of new rules in 2018 season

What's the story?

Indian badminton head coach Pullela Gopichand is not happy with BWF's timing of the experimentation for the new service rule and even criticised making 'playing 14 tournaments compulsory for the top players'.

In case you didn't know...

The Badminton World Federation has decided to introduce a new law in the game which states that 'the shuttle should be below 1.15 metres from the surface of the court at the instant of being hit by the server's racket'.

The BWF has decided to bring the law into practice on a trial in the All England Open Championships starting on March 1.

The heart of the matter

Gopichand expressed his discontentment with BWF's choice of timing for the experimentation of the new service rule. He is in favour of experimenting, but says that any other tournament of less importance could have been chosen for the law to come into place.

“All England is such a prestigious tournament, I am not happy with implementing the rule from that tournament. They could have tried it in Malaysia," Gopichand said.

He also wasn't happy about making 'playing 14 tournaments compulsory for the top players and gave alternate ideas.

“They should make all the tournaments attractive and increase the prize money of facilities so that the players don’t want to miss out on it. But making it compulsory is not a good idea,” he added.

What's next?

While most of the top players in world badminton will be involved in Malaysia Masters, Indonesia Masters and the India Open this year, it will be interesting to see how these new rules affect the players.

Author's take

Biggest stars in World badminton, like Viktor Axelsen and Saina Nehwal have already voiced their opinion on the rule and the timing of the experimentation of the rule and they are not happy with BWF. Any other tournament could have easily been used for bringing the new law into practice by BWF if they had given proper thought to the situation.