Slightly off topic: I just read the PDF file that has been posted. am i right that there wont be any communication between player and coach unless its during intervals or between games? Isn't that a big step backwards? how much will it affect the players? I had the impression that coaching has become more important than before.
It's not official law yet, but yes, that is clearly stated. Forbidding coaching between points is only a step backwards if your metric is level of play; with coaching, a player or pair has better odds of adapting their strategy and recognizing weaknesses in the opponents'. But level of play is not a primary concern of BWF; it's not like the winners of a BWF tournament such as the World Championships would go on to compete in bigger tournaments where coaching is allowed. Instead, BWF's metric is: or, in simple terms, increase audiences. Most spectators (myself included) want to watch badminton, not coaching. Forbidding coaching between points eliminates a major time waster; matches will finish faster. In one match, it's probably only a couple of minutes. But over a whole day, it can be quite a lot. Since the rule change means that spectators can go home an hour earlier while seeing the same amount of badminton, or watch more badminton in the same time, I see it as a major step forwards.
Thanks for your clarification. I agree with everything you have said. However I don't like the change. I think younger players will be at a disadvantage, gonna be hard to climb to the top. It's almost like a way to prolong lcw and LDs career.
very good decision! Players who are able to adapt strategy should have their advantage! Its also annoying if players communicate with ppl in their back all the time! They get more than enough coaching during the breaks!
I fully agree with this. Currently, there is simply way too much coaching done in between rallies. For example when I've watched VA live during the Swiss Open '15, he was in some kind of contact with his coaches literally after every single rally and it wasn't much less with most other players that day. And besides, I'm pretty sure that some players will see that less coaching actually could help them to stay "in the zone". And of course, it would reward players with a higher tactical awareness and punish those who step on court and simply rely on their coaching team to figure out a strategy. Basically the same thing that is currently heavily critizised by the fans of Formula 1 where sometimes the drivers get told via radio in which corner they could break a little later or at which part of the track the team mate is driving faster. Not to speak of which setting of the car and engine they should choose. A lot of times it makes them appear as remotely controlled and well payed crash test dummies - and who wants to see that?
Yeah the more I think about it, the more I like the change. There simply is too much time between rallies. But at the same time there still is time wasted mopping the floor, players toweling down or even for players getting their breath (which is perfectly fine after a tough rally). So is this really gonna help that much? @phihag since you are German, when will this change be adapted in the Bundesliga and lower German leagues? Will each Verband have an independent announcement? But what annoys me a thousand times more is Carolina Marin's screaming. I think this is incredibly viewer unfriendly, her matches become unviewable and should also be addressed. It is also disrespectful towards the opponent and could be covered by 'inappropriate/offensive behavior'.
Right now, it's just a proposal. Since it concerns the laws, it must be confirmed by the national associations at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in May. If the current state remains and if it is passed that way (and not changed during the AGM), it will become BWF law. National federations must adapt/translate the BWF laws. In principle, it could be adapted in the German laws starting with the season 2018/2019. In practice, the AGM results are often published later, and have historically sometimes been missed by the German law deadlines. With the position of the head of German umpiring vacant at the moment due to internal strife among some umpires, it is certainly not unfathomable that the new changes miss the deadline and will only apply starting with the season 2019/2020. All German regional and state-level associations (Gruppen and Landesverbände) I am aware of follow the German national-level regulations. As far as I understand, in theory a regional/state-level association could override the laws (the Bundesliga does so at the moment, with a different scoring system), probably requiring permission from BWF and/or DBV. For something as inconsequential as coaching during the match, this is definitely not happening though. Currently, the line is drawn as forbidding shouting while facing the opponent, but allowing everything else. To play the devil's advocate, from a media perspective a shouting and extrovert player (although Marin is significantly quieter off court) is probably better for viewer numbers than an introvert player like Akane Yamaguchi.
Haha... Has anyone noticed that over the past year Ratchanok Intanon, usually the quite polite bowing one, has been shouting more and more... Not to the point of screeching like Marin, but certainly she's starting to assert and maintain her aggression on court with good results.
no, because there are two black lines behind each other on different foils. this means the service referee has to position its head in such a way that he sees only one black line (the 2nd is covered by the first). the shuttle shall then be below this line at all times before the serve.
Ah, I see... that means the service judge has to adjust his head/body up and down until he gets it right to line up both lines... gonna be a lot of sore necks...
from the matches i've seen her play in person & on youtube i've only heard her scream on crucial points... like once she takes the lead after scoring her 18th or 19th point, or taking a late game lead (at 18 or later) after a lot of back and forth lead changes. when ratchanok screams you know damn well it was an important point to win. screaming from point 1 in round 1? leave that for the amateurs.
wtf this looks horrific for the judge he has to be mm-perfect with the level of his eyes! Else the angle of view distorts it completely... edit: okay he has a second line then that works. But still horrific because he has to do is so often during a match, must be a pain So we have found the big losers of the new rule. Its not the tall players its the net judges!!
Maybe BWF will mandate not only a training hall, but a couple of training chairs for the umpires/service judges . Im anxious to try out this equipment, although it will probably be a while until it's available in national tournaments/leagues where I umpire. Maybe it comes with adjustable chairs?
