The Hindu : Sport / Badminton : BAI signs deal with Yonex

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 02, 2006

Sport

Sport - Badminton

BAI signs deal with Yonex

NEW DELHI: Yonex, the makers of badminton racquets and other accessories, has signed a long-term sponsorship agreement with the Badminton Association of India (BAI) that aims to offer immense opportunities for Indian players to play and train abroad.

"With such sponsorship coming in, the BAI will launch two programmes, Project 2010 for the Commonwealth Games and Project 2012 for the Olympics in London," said the BAI president, V.K. Verma.

The Project 2010 is aimed at achieving one gold, two silver and two bronze medals at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. The project involves identifying 32 players, 24 of which have already been picked by the newly appointed National coach, P. Gopi Chand.

The players will be under coaching, both in India and abroad, for seven months. In between there will be international and national competitions spanning about two-and-a-half months.

In the second stream of players for the Project 2012, the BAI hopes to shape them up so that India wins at least a bronze in London.

Yonex's sponsorship promises supply of clothing and equipment, and also month-long coaching camps twice a year till 2010, in China and Indonesia. These coaching camps will be over and above what the Union Government would sanction during the period.

The Indian Open badminton, which was last held eight years ago, will again see the light of the day in 2007. It will be a five-star tournament on the Asian Grand Prix circuit with prize money of $1,20,000. With Yonex coming in the ill-fated tournament would at least have a smooth run for three years in a row from 2007. — Sports Reporter

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