Celebration is one thing, but my god, the screaming is spreading. I clicked on a WD game, and lo and behold, they're wailing like damned banshees every point. Every. Single. Point. I can't be the only one that wants this banned, surely? Marin was bad enough, but now it's spreading: it's ridiculous and unpleasant as a viewer, and I imagine, as a player. I've never seen a male player scream every single point. A yell after a hard point? Ok. But not screaming. And it is screaming. Their voice goes hoarse. I want to be able to watch badminton without my senses being assaulted.
Good point well made. It does grate a bit. However what about noises during rallies, especially when a player delivers a big smash - something I am guilty of when I play (making a noise, not necessarily delivering a big smash ). Surely that is more distracting to an opponent?
Yeah it's tricky. You have a tennis grunt, and then you have Slipknotting. I think tennis grunt is fine, but screaming isn't.,
If an arguably better regulated sport like tennis hasn’t banned Sharapova’s scream, I find it difficult to believe that the screams here will be banned any time soon
It got me wondering why screaming? I personally find it particularly unpleasant to play against a screamer... Apparently plenty of reasons including strategy and a potential boost in strength or focus. Good read if you have 5 mins: https://www.google.com/amp/s/deadspin.com/why-do-athletes-scream-1819850800/amp
I think you answer your question yourself. When you watch badminton matches, you can observe, that many players turn away from the opponent immediatly after a point has been made. I think, they do it to avoid getting a negative feedback from the opponent triumph . Some players are known to show a very prounounced triumphant, almost aggresive, gesture, like Marin or Sukamuljo (gaze). But you can't turn away from a scream.
Thinking about it, there is some kind of meta-game going on in badminton, atleast at top level. Besides the screaming, there's although the delaying of the service. E.g. (old) Lin Dan is doing this a lot when facing a much younger opponent: 1. walk lazyly over to the shuttle 2. pick it up 3. going to service line 4. readying up to serve 5. looking at shuttle 6. looking really suprised of how battled the shuttle looks 7. asking to change shuttle 8. change shuttle 9. readying up again ... Or when he do some extra body dive to smear his sweat over half the court for some extra long wiping. To some degree this all is more or less a tactical meta-game and if they ban screaming, should they ban such a delaying too ? Would Marin win as often as she does, when screaming would be banned ? Would Lin Dan be still able to compete vs younger players if he would be forced to play with minimal breaks inbetween rallies ?
I was looking for a more "positive" explanation other than just irritating the opponent. Seems like it can also increase focus, strength and so on. Will try to become a screamer during my next session tonight! (just kidding)
It will have for sure a self-motivating effect, similar to self-talking, thought I don't know if you need to scream. A flashlight from a camera is irritating, a winning scream can demolarize leading to lose more and more points.
Some people are screamers. i.e Think about all the people who screamed on the roller coaster or when you surprise them. Myself, I don't make any sound at the roller coaster or when I'm surprised. To answer your question, I think it's their way of releasing tension. I don't think they do it to irritate their opponents. Had an ex who screamed quite loudly every time there's a 'jump scare' scene at the movies. Told her multiple times that it bothers me and others. But she just couldn't help it.
Come on, there's cheering yourself on and then there's Marin. I mean, I'm happy she's back and playing well after injury, but my god she screams. And half the time she is still facing the opponent, sometimes when they're both close to the net. Aside from hearing damage up close, it's against the rules to make such gestures towards the opponent, and not once did I see it corrected by the umpire. Let alone it being just distracting, even far away. I think it's just disrespectful at this point. If that's allowed, my petty brain wants to start doing small victory dances in rebuttal in protest. Didn't she also used to do it during the rally? or was that someone else? I'm so glad they can't pull a Sharapova or something (anymore?).
The trouble with irritating the opponent with a scream is that it also irritates the rest of the observing world. If Axelsen started playing badminton with his balls hanging out, you might be a bit taken back too. There're some things the audience shouldn't have to witness. The screaming is one of those of things.
Sure, some screamers are just “enthusiastic”, or trying to pump themselves up. But there is definitely intimidation being employed. Shouting triumphantly at every opponent error or screaming with every smash you hit is meant to bully and “cow” the opponent. Mind games are part of sports, sure. But at what point is such behaviour any better than shouting “”swing!”” as your opponent prepares to hit? Or calling them names them between points? The lines of allowable behaviour are grey, but it would be nice if this traditional gentleman’s sport strived to remain as Contests of Skill rather than Battles of Decibels.
It might open the sport to a new audience though Talking of the audience, I am sure some locations have much louder supporters than others. Thankfully not as bad as football matches. Do loud screams from the crowd cause the same problems, should people be silent too, only during rallies or between points too? How many times, when a shuttle looks like it is going to touch the ground only for a player to pull out an amazing dive, and some screamer in the crowd lets out a shriek. There is probably a distinction to be made between natural (effort, exasperated) and unnatural (Marin) screams but it may end up removing some of the character from the sport.
Sharapova isn't as loud or obnoxious as Marin though, astonishing as that is. They should consider installing a mic and giving warnings above a certain decibel level...celebrating is one point, but some players are just unreasonable as hell. Jia YF isn't as loud, but likes to annoy anyone with ears as well, for example. At least she doesn't have Marin's voice.
I think ChenQingchen scream is more annoying than JYF or Marin and some of the Korean girls , its annoying. After some points , just didnt watch the match anymore. Creates no value in their play whatsoever.
And that's literally it, if their behaviour is enough to make people *stop watching*, especially those passioned about the sport, then surely there's an issue with it. Because I do the same thing. I don't want to hear their god awful shrill screams 60 times in a match, so I stop watching.
You could turn it into a drinking game - 1 scream = 1 shot. Just be ready for a very bad hangover if Marin plays.
Are we talking about watching a match live or on tv/stream ? Atleast when watching it on tv/stream they should simple add some post audio filter to lower the impact of a high shrilling scream.
should always care abt players first, not audience. If opponents are ok, its ok. Keigo's scream is not ban so every screams else is ok cos he screams during the rally.
