1. EVENTS Men · Singles · Doubles Women · Singles · Doubles Mixed · Doubles 2. NUMBER OF PLAYERS/ MEMBER ASSOCIATION QUOTA 2.1 Player quota 512 maximum total players Maximum per Member Association 2.2 The maximum number of players/pairs per Member Association shall be four entries in each of the five events, provided each entry is eligible (see Regulations 3.2.1 to 3.2.18). 3. ELIGIBILITY SYSTEM 3.1 PRINCIPLES The IBF ranking list of the eligibility date (see Regulation 3.2.1) will be used to determine eligibility for the following number of places in each event: Men’s singles 64 places Women’s singles 64 places Men’s doubles 128 places (64 pairs) Women’s doubles 128 places (64 pairs) Mixed doubles 128 places (64 pairs) TOTAL 512 places 3.2 OPERATION IBF ranking list date 3.2.1 IBF shall publis h at least one year before the date of the Championships, the date of the world ranking to be used for deciding eligibility for the Championships. [For 2003, this date is 20 February 2003.] This date for any Championships shall be called the “eligibility date”. 3.2.2 The IBF ranking list of the eligibility date shall be used to allocate places. Regulations 3.2.3 to 3.2.6 will be considered in turn until a total of 64 players/pairs in each event are allocated, or the entries received have been exhausted. Players/pairs ranked one to eight 3.2.3 Players/pairs ranked one to eight in the IBF ranking list for each event will be considered in turn and are eligible to enter unless a total of four players/pairs from any one Member Association would thereby be exceeded in that event. A Member Association may have more than four players/pairs ranked one to eight in the IBF ranking list for a particular event. In such a case, the Member Association can enter any four (or fewer) of such players/pairs. Players/pairs ranked nine to 24 3.2.4 Players/pairs ranked nine to 24 in the IBF ranking list for each event will be considered in turn and are eligible to enter unless a total of three players/pairs from any one Member Association would thereby be exceeded in that event. Players/pairs ranked 25 to 150 3.2.5 Players/pairs ranked 25 to 150 in the IBF ranking list for each event will be considered in turn and are eligible to enter unless a total of two players/pairs from any one Member Association would thereby be exceeded in that event. Players/pairs ranked 150 and lower 3.2.6 After considering the player/pair ranked 150 (Regulation 3.2.5), the players/pairs ranked nine and lower in the IBF ranking list for each event will be considered in turn and are eligible to enter unless a total of four players/pairs from any one Member Association would thereby be exceeded in that event. Players ranked lower than 150 are eligible to enter under this regulation. Continental representation 3.2.7 Each of the five IBF Continental Confederations is entitled to be offered representation by at least one player/pair in each event. The players/pairs eligible shall be the appropriate highest-ranked players/pairs in the IBF ranking lists at the eligibility date. Such players/pairs count towards the total entries from the particular Member Association concerned. 3.2.8 If there is no Continental Confederation player/pair in the IBF ranking list of the eligibility date in a particular event, then the player/pair eligible for continental representation shall be the winner(s) of the respective Continental Championships most recently concluded prior to the eligibility date. Players in a pair representing two different Member Associations 3.2.9 In the event that players from two different Member Associations compete together as a pair, each player will be counted as ½ an entry for the respective Member Association in that event. Wild cards 3.2.10 In each event the host Association shall be entitled to nominate a wild card entry. This wild card entry may be from an Association different from the host Association. 3.2.11 Such nominations must be communicated to IBF by five days after the eligibility date [25 February 2003 for the 2003 Championships]. 3.2.12 In the event that the host Association nominates a wild card entry from a different Association, the nominated player/pair must be on the world ranking list. 3.2.13 In the event that the host Association nominates a wild card entry from its own membership, the nominated player/pair need not be on the world ranking list. 3.2.14 The host Association is not required to exercise its right to nominate a wild card entry in any or all events. 3.2.15 In each event the IBF shall be entitled to nominate a wild card entry. This wild card entry will be selected by the Seeding Committee appointed by the Events Committee. 3.2.16 Such a nomination must be made by eight days after the eligibility date [28 February 2003 for the 2003 Championships]. 3.2.17 The IBF is not required to exercise its right to nominate a wild card entry in any or all events. 3.2.18 Any wild card entry must not cause the maximum of four entries in each event for a given Member Association to be exceeded, and wild card entries must have the approval of the Member Association of the player/pair concerned.
