New proposed scoring system rejected at BWF AGM

New proposed scoring system rejected at BWF AGM

2012 BWF logo.svg

The Badminton World Federation’s (BWF) Annual General Meeting on Saturday discussed the proposal to change the scoring system of the sport which would have had come into effect following the Tokyo Olympics 2021. The proposal needed two-third of the votes to be approved but fell short by just one vote.

The move was put forward by Badminton Indonesia and the Maldives Badminton Association. Badminton Asia, Badminton Korea Association and the Chinese Taipei Badminton Association were the bodies who seconded the proposal. The proposal was hailed as an attempt to make the matches more television-friendly, in terms of duration. A decrease in points meant the intensity of the game was supposed to increase hence making the sport more entertaining.

What was the new proposed scoring system?

Badminton (Representative Image)

The current system requires players to play three games of at least 21 points each and the shuttler who wins two of them clinches the match. The proposed system envisioned five games of at least 11 points each.

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In the proposed system, if the score becomes 10-all, instead of 20-all, the side which gains a two-point lead first, shall win that game. Similarly, if the score becomes 14-all, instead of 29-all, the side scoring the 15th point, instead of 30th point, shall win that game.

The proposal for a new scoring system was first articulated by the BWF Council in March 2014 as it was felt that matches were getting longer. Following feedback from the broadcasters, the BWF AGM in 2018 voted on the proposal.

It received 129 votes in favour and 123 votes against, it was not passed as it required a two-thirds majority of 168. While the proposal was rejected, the gap has come down to just one vote from 39 two years earlier. It means it won’t be long before the proposal eventually passes, changing the game forever.

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