Badminton looks to future with 'evolution and innovation'

Hong Kong: Synthetic shuttlecocks, shorter games and a new generation of stars are all part of the "evolution" of badminton, a top official told AFP, saying the sport can't afford to sit still. sportnewz.click

Traditionalists hit out after the Badminton World Federation said that from January 2027 it will adjust the scoring system, partly with an eye on the next generation of fans.

Currently matches are the best of three games, with the winner of each the first to 21 points. That will change to the first to 15.

Also last month, the BWF said it will trial synthetic shuttlecocks at lower-grade tournaments with a view to potentially using them at elite level.

Days later -- in an unrelated move -- double Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen retired aged 32, leaving a hole at the top of the men's game.

BWF secretary general Thomas Lund told AFP that badminton was well placed to thrive as it attempts to build on the immense popularity it already enjoys in Asia.

Members overwhelmingly approved 15-point games, but Lund conceded: "Of course there are some who have doubts about what that will mean for the game.

"I would say most of the traditionalists or sceptical voices in our community are -- as I see it -- the ones who are afraid that the sport will change.

"I would say this is rather seen as a tweak to the sporting aspects to the scoring system and the game... this is very much in line with how we see the game being played today, the DNA, how the game will evolve," Lund added.

It was also about "the welfare of players in terms of recovery" and making it more appealing to fans and broadcasters, he said.

Ruffled feathers

Part of any sport's allure is having big stars and badminton lost one in Lund's fellow Dane Axelsen.

Spain's 2016 Olympic champion Carolina Marin also left the sport in March at the same age after a long struggle with a knee injury.

Before them, the rivalry between China's Lin Dan and Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia captivated and even transcended the sport until 2018.

Lund dismissed concerns that Axelsen's retirement and the lack of a rivalry akin to the Lin-Lee storyline hurts badminton.

"I've heard this for 40 years," he said.

"The sport that we sometimes compare ourselves with is tennis, and everybody was afraid of what will happen when (Roger) Federer and (Rafael) Nadal disappeared.

"I'm not sure people think about that now because others come up and play fantastic tennis, and now the same will happen with badminton," he said, pointing to how France last weekend reached the final of the Thomas Cup men's team event for the first time, losing to superpower China.

Another recent announcement which raised eyebrows among traditionalists concerns trying out synthetic shuttlecocks, amid concerns about costs and a shortage of duck and goose feathers.

"We believe that should be pushed and pursued," Lund said, adding it was "coming step-by-step".

The BWF said in April it will try synthetic shuttlecocks at selected events including junior international tournaments.

Asked if he saw a day when all of badminton uses synthetic shuttlecocks, Lund said: "I do hope at the highest level that we will be able to have a quality (synthetic) shuttle we can then use more and more across the tours and the major championships over the years."

Lund said that using synthetic shuttlecocks is also to do with making badminton more affordable at grassroots -- the BWF says more than 300 million people play globally.

"It's important that these evolutions and innovations are done," he said.

Doha: The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) index closed lower on Sunday, shedding 50.75 points, or 0.47 percent, to settle at 10,663.50 points.

A total of 140,660,114 shares were traded, with a total value of QAR 300,562,107.343 across 18,789 transactions in all sectors.

Shares of 21 companies increased, while those of 24 declined and eight remained unchanged.

Market capitalization at the close of the session stood at QAR 637,407,650,121.700, down from QAR 641,340,954,830.740 in the previous session.

استقبل سعادة الشيخ جاسم بن ثامر آل ثاني رئيس النادي، العديد من أصحاب السعادة شيوخ الغرافة الذين قدموا لتقديم التهنئة بمناسبة فوز الفريق بكأس سمو أمير البلاد المفدى، وفي مقدمتهم سعادة الشيخ فيصل بن قاسم آل ثاني، وسعادة الشيخ حمد بن ثامر آل ثاني، وسعادة الشيخ خليفة بن ثامر آل ثاني، وسعادة الشيخ علي بن ثامر آل ثاني، وسعادة الشيخ عبد الله بن حمد بن ثامر آل ثاني، وسعادة الشيخ محمد بن فيصل بن قاسم آل ثاني، وسعادة الشيخ سحيم بن ثامر آل ثاني، وسعادة الشيخ فيصل بن ثامر آل ثاني، وتوجه الجميع بالتهنئة لسعادة الشيخ جاسم بن ثامر آل ثاني، متمنين للنادي المزيد من الإنجازات في ظل رئاسته لنادي الغرافة.

Omar Marmoush scored in stoppage time as Manchester City beat Brentford 3-0 to keep pressure on Arsenal in the Premier League title race.

Omar Marmoush ended his goalless spell with a stoppage-time goal as Manchester City beat Brentford 3-0 at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

The Egyptian forward scored in the 92nd minute after coming on as a second-half substitute. Jeremy Doku opened the scoring in the 60th minute, before Erling Haaland doubled City’s lead in the 75th.

Marmoush replaced Rayan Cherki in the 60th minute, alongside Phil Foden, as Pep Guardiola changed his attacking options. Haaland, who had already scored, later supplied the assist for Marmoush’s goal.

The goal gave Marmoush another scoring contribution in a season in which he has moved between starting and substitute roles. He last scored against Newcastle United in the FA Cup in March, netting a brace and helping City reach the quarter-finals.

The win moved Manchester City to 74 points, two points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal. The Gunners still need to drop points in the final three matches for City to have a chance of winning the title.

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