Source:
REUTERS/RITZAU SCANPIX DENMARK
[Saba
Sports News] Danish badminton star Viktor Axelsen recently achieved a
successful defense of his men’s championship title at the BWF World Tour
Finals. During a media interview about the tournament, Axelsen voiced his
discontent with the rules and regulations. He believes that the Badminton World
Federation (BWF) should take measures to ensure smoother gameplay and prevent
players from engaging in unnecessary behaviors or exploiting loopholes to
intentionally delay matches. Axelsen specifically mentioned Japanese player
Isao Naraoka, who is known to employ time-delaying strategies such as
requesting the court to be wiped or applying for medical timeouts to spray
cooling spray on his feet, which may not be due to an actual injury but rather
a deliberate attempt to stall the game. The editor suggests that the BWF might
be aware of certain players attempting to delay matches but is unable to
address it due to rules in place to protect players’ health. Many players have
taken advantage of these loopholes, altering their playing strategies
accordingly.