Rule requiring skirts in badminton suspended . QINGDAO, China: The Badminton World Federation has indefinitely suspended a controversial regulation that would have required women to wear skirts or dresses in competitive matches, a move that many female athletes considered sexist. The BWF said in a statement posted on its website Monday that it accepted a recommendation from the Women In Badminton Committee to further study the general clothing regulations. The mandatory ruling was initially set to be implemented on May 1, but had been deferred until June 1 after criticism of the plan. The Women In Badminton Committee, headed by former world champion Nora Perry of England, said the recommendation was also based on feedback from the sport's Athletes Commission. Some players had accused the game's administrators of sexism, but badminton officials said they were trying to improve the profile of the women's game and help attract more sponsorship. In the past, women had been allowed to wear either skirts or shorts, with players opinions' differing on which were more comfortable. "There (has) been various feedback from many quarters and after taking into account all these comments, especially those from the Athletes Commission, it is our recommendation to council to do further study before implementing new clothing regulations," Perry said in a statement after the group met at Qingdao during the Sudirman Cup competition. "It is still our intention to focus on a better presentation of the game, but we will like to broaden the scope to include both men and women, and the feedback will also include views from various stakeholders such as the clothing manufacturers." The BWF statement said the clothing regulation was one of the steps being taken to raise the profile of women in badminton. The statement said other initiatives already in place are offering equal prize money for men and women, standardized 21-point rally system for men and women and equal male and female participation across the events offered in singles, doubles and mixed doubles. Source: http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.asp?file=/2011/5/30/sports/8784818&sec=sports .
For Badminton spectators wishing to watch girls in skirts, the decision is OK...... . The decision; * For the BWF wishing to introduce the 'skirts-only' rule, the decision is expected. It shows that BWF did not look into some of their National Associations' concerned. * For National Associations supporting the 'skirts-only' rule, the decision is also expected. It shows that they did not look into some of their players' concerned. * For our players against the 'skirts-only' rule, the decision is good. As it was said; "We should be talking about achievements and results, not what people are wearing.". * For our Badminton spectators wishing to watch girls playing in skirts, the decision is OK. They can still watch girls in skirts in other sports. .
Only other sports? What makes you think there will be no more skirts in badminton? All this means is that Yu Yang and Lilyana Natsir and the dozens of other women who prefer not to will not be forced to wear them. Those who have been wearing them will continue to wear them. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if more national team attire goes the skirt route anyway, if teams like Korea, for example, already talked to their sponsors and said 'we need more skirts for June 1st'. This just means the women will continue to have the freedom to choose (apart from pressure from sponsors or coaching staff, if that is applied).
Hahaha,I like what Janice Forsyth said, very practical & true, if one has tried wearing skirt + shorts. As for making badminton more 'attractive', well, get the guys to play shirtless lah. Then can see the muscles better, lol.
Looks like BWF skirt issue has got so much attention already. Looks like this is one of the way to make badminton as a well known sport in the world also
Actually many girls do prefer to wear skirts to play Badminton . The whole issue is the 'forcing' of players to wear skirts (or any clothing). Actually many girls do prefer to wear skirts to play Badminton. And I would say that these girls would also complain if BWF were to force them to wear shorts (instead of skirts). I just finished watching live the 2011 French Open (Tennis), where Li Na (CHN) wearing skirts won and made it into the Quarter-Finals. Whether Li Na was wearing skirts or shorts, I would have still watched her play. .
Guys to play shirtless: Then we can see their muscles better . Let's see if one day BWF will attempt to 'force' guys to play shirtless. .
Yes, I know. I think we agree on this. I was merely responding to your comment, which implied that in order to watch athletes in skirts one would have to watch 'other sports'. However, as you and I both pointed out, there have been and will continue to be this sort of apparel choice in badminton, too.
In order to watch athletes in skirts one would have to watch 'other sports' . Hahaha... OK event, have a read of this (from Golf); May 27, 2011 BEIJING - CHINESE women's golf is undergoing an unabashed makeover to give it wider appeal, with some players photographed in bikinis and one tournament introducing a beauty contest, a report said on Friday. Officials are urging players to show their 'beautiful side' - by wearing brightly coloured shirts and skirts - to boost the sport's profile and marketing potential, the China Daily said. 'Women's golf is not all about competition. It's also about fresh air, beautiful scenes and the young and dynamic girls,' China Golf Association vice president Wang Liwei was quoted as saying. 'Young players should try wearing shirts and skirts with bright colours.' The comments come after a mixed reaction on the Internet to photographs of scantily clad players taken at a hotel swimming pool during last week's Beijing Renji Challenge, the report said. The China Daily added that this week's Orient Pearl Challenge would hand out a Most Beautiful Award, voted by fans and media, for the player with the most attractive clothing. Wang defended the moves, saying women's golf badly needed to attract a bigger audience. 'Even the US LPGA is making moves to make women's golf more charming and eye-catching,' he said. 'Whether you win or lose, you should show your confident and beautiful side in front of the media. Lots of Chinese players lower their heads when the limelight is turned to them.' The trend echoes a controversial order from badminton's leaders for women players to wear skirts or dresses, which has divided the sport. Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Sport/Story/STIStory_673273.html OMG, China Golf Association vice president Wang Liwei was even more daring, saying that; 'Women's golf is not all about competition. It's also about fresh air, beautiful scenes and the young and dynamic girls'. I think he is in the wrong industry; He should be in the tourism and/or the 'other' industry. .
"I think it's a little bit ridiculous," said Ragna Ingolfsdottir of Iceland, who chooses to wear a skirt because she finds it less restrictive. "Some girls here just want to wear shorts because they think it's more comfortable, so why make them wear skirts if they don't want to? "I don't think it's about sexism, but will it make more people watch? I don't know. I don't think in Iceland it matters but somewhere in the world perhaps it does." Ingolfsdottir admitted the publicity over the issue -- though not all of it has been good -- had at least raised the sport's profile. "There are different views on it and in some ways the publicity is good, but for the players that don't like it, it's not good for them. But maybe it's good for badminton as a whole," she told AFP." http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110527/sp_wl_afp/badmintonworldchnskirts_20110527050453
Another article on the same golf story: http://www.chinapost.com.tw/china/national-news/2011/05/28/304032/Chinese-women.htm
Yeah, maybe we should ask him if he would approve of his daughter being one of the scantily clad players posing by a swimming pool. What an ass!
Indians welcome shelved badminton ruling . Well, Indian Badminton players and officials on Monday (30-May-2011) welcomed the decision. Source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/af...ocId=CNG.62cf22ff4e6a5c56c82b87b21e02faa4.3c1 NEW DELHI — Indian badminton players and officials on Monday welcomed a decision by the sport's bosses to shelve a controversial new ruling that would have forced women to wear skirts or dresses on court. The new regulation, which sparked the worst internal wrangling in years and saw badminton gain unprecedented media coverage, had already been delayed once but had been due to come into effect on June 1. The sport's governing body, the Badminton World Federation (BWF), met Saturday in the Chinese coastal city of Qingdao and decided to shelve the ruling pending a new dress code proposal in December. "It is a very good decision by the BWF. They couldn't have gone ahead with the mandatory skirt ruling anyways," India's top women's doubles player Jwala Gutta was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India news agency. "It can never be a compulsion on the players and it is good that they are rethinking the decision." Badminton Association of India (BAI) vice-president T.P.S. Puri also welcomed the decision, which will allow players to continue wearing shorts during games. "This is the right approach by the BWF. If it would have been made compulsory then many players would have become uncomfortable," he said. "A lot of nations, including India, objected to the mandatory nature of the ruling and we welcome this decision of the governing body." Some players had accused the game's administrators of sexism, but badminton bosses countered that they were merely trying to boost the profile of the women's game and help attract more sponsorship. China, Indonesia and India were among a host of countries which had raised fierce objections, while in Malaysia, the opposition Pan-Malaysia Islamic Party (PAS) called for a boycott of tournaments. .
Even saina nehwal already tried on her skirt, and found no problem playing with it. In fact, can beat wang xin also.. I don't see why player like YY and WXL cannot wear skirt
Their measurements not the same lah, george. I also can wear skirt & play but it's very short & troublesome . You go try wearing shorts & skirt over the shorts
Tell us if wearing skirts can make us play better or worse . Most of the time, SN plays well wearing shorts. But she is able to play just as well wearing skirts. YY and WXL have never tried playing wearing skirts, and I don't see why they need to be playing wearing skirts. George, have you tried playing wearing skirts? Try it and tell us if wearing skirts can make you play better or worse. .
If BWF have the final say and make it COMPULSORY then YY and WXL of course HAVE to wear skirt though. Chris, have u seen men wearing skirt playing badminton before? Or maybe u did. In Ireland right? No, i never tried playing badminton wearing skirt Why don't u try it?
If BWF have the final say and make it COMPULSORY...... . On a serious note, we do not wish to have some players departing from Badminton (as their sport) and/or they not participating in tournaments in future, just because BWF want to make their skirts-only rule compulsory. I am not talking just for YY and WXL, but for many players who do not like wearing skirts. These players have made their comments on this rule. Just go back to the start of this thread (where I have posted many of their comments). Note the many objections coming from the Muslim countries (comments from players and officials). .
