Tokyo qualification period extended in badminton

Following heavy criticism from shuttlers, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) on Wednesday introduced that the revamped 2020 calendar – unveiled final week – is not going to depend in direction of Tokyo Olympics qualification. Instead, an prolonged qualification interval shall be launched early subsequent 12 months which is able to embody tournaments that have been postponed, cancelled or suspended attributable to COVID-19.

To be eligible to take part within the Tokyo Olympics, all shuttlers should play a minimal of three tournaments of their respective classes counting in direction of the Race to Tokyo rating checklist. While the unique one-year qualification interval began on April 29, 2019 and concluded prematurely on March 15, 2020, the prolonged interval will begin on January 4, 2021 and end on May 2, 2021. The Race to Tokyo rankings on May 4, 2021 shall be thought of closing and shall be used to allocate quota locations on the Games.

Significantly, all rating factors earned in the course of the unique Olympic qualification interval shall be maintained beneath the Race to Tokyo rating checklist with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) approving the amendments.

“Although we aim to resume international tournaments towards the end of 2020, we have chosen to resume the Olympic and Paralympic qualification process only in 2021 to ensure that travel restrictions and other related impacts of COVID-19 are limited,” BWF secretary basic Thomas Lund mentioned.

Only gamers from China and Hong Kong – who couldn’t take part on this 12 months’s Badminton Asia Team Championships attributable to COVID-19 journey restrictions – shall be eligible to earn factors from the 2021 version.

The revised 2021 calendar shall be revealed later.