A threat of a revolt by some nations for future events has led to yet another redraw of the two singles events at the world junior badminton championships just hours before individual competition starts at Waitakere's Trusts Stadium.
After China had won the team's event on Sunday, all
players had a day off yesterday to prepare for the five individual championships which include players from Sweden, Denmark and Brazil who did not contest the team event.
Controversy has hampered the individual events with nations bickering about how players are seeded and the initial draw being done a week later than scheduled.
In discussions between coaches and managers and the Badminton World Federation, officials pointed out that China's 2007 Asian Junior Championships mixed doubles semifinalists Chai Biao and Xie Jing were not in the seeding list. However, pairs from Puerto Rico, New Zealand and Australia were seeded.
It was also pointed out that while Indonesia's Asian Junior Championships girls' doubles gold medallists were requested to be seeded ahead of Korea's Yoo Hyun Young and Jung Kyung Eun, the same logic was not used to seed China's Chen Long, the winner of the boy's event.
Instead, the top seed in the boy's singles is Malaysia's Mohd Arif Abdul Latif, the Asian Junior runner-up.
Germany team manager Thomas Lohwieser said it was time the BWF acted to check the situation.
"We all want to see a fair and good tournament but the way it is being done now, it is difficult to see how," said Lohwieser. "Some of the countries have travelled a long way to compete. All we ask is for the federation to lay down fair ground rules so that everyone is aware of them and it is transparent."
Changes have been made to the men's and women's singles which start today. The top seed in the men's singles is Latif with Long Chen (China) the second seed.
Play begins at 10am with the finals scheduled for Sunday.
