The Hindu : Sport / Badminton : Camps cancelled for want of shuttles

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Thursday, Feb 07, 2008
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Camps cancelled for want of shuttles

NEW DELHI: The Badminton Association of India (BAI) has cancelled the national camp for the Thomas Cup and Uber Cup teams, scheduled to start at Panjim, Goa, on Thursday because of shortage of shuttles.

“We just don’t have shuttles to go ahead with the camp,” said BAI Secretary L.C. Gupta when contacted in Jaipur.

An official of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) took the plea that federations were told in December last year that they could purchase equipment for national camps and get the money reimbursed.

However, Mr. Gupta said that nothing had materialised after BAI President V.K. Verma wrote to SAI seeking the “terms and conditions” under which the federation could make such purchases.

A SAI official admitted that a final word about the purchase had not been given to the BAI.

Mr. Gupta said that the ban or restrictions on the import of feather products following the outbreak of avian flu had complicated matters. “It is more than six months that shuttle imports have been stalled. No one seems to be interested in solving the problem,” said Mr. Gupta.

The shortage of shuttles has forced the BAI to also cancel a camp for the juniors to be held in Chandigarh from Feb. 10.

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