'Sexist' skirt rule in limbo, to be looked at in December
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Shanghai Daily, June 17, 2011
Badminton's controversial 'skirt rule' has not been scrapped but is merely in limbo while officials wait for more consultation after initial feedback deemed it sexist, the governing body said yesterday.
A new Badminton World Federation code had required all female players to wear skirts or dresses in major tournaments in order "to ensure attractive presentation of badminton", but the rule has not been implemented after an outcry.
This week's Singapore Open had been slated as the first tournament to implement the rule, but marketing manager for the BWF's Super Series S. Selvam said a decision was in limbo. "The rule has been deferred until we get another proposal from the women's commission," he said at the city state's Indoor Stadium.
"There was a lot of feedback from players. But a lot of the feedback actually came from the public saying that it was too sexist," Selvam said.
The legislation - that stipulates female players must wear a skirt during competition even if they also wear shorts - is to be reassessed in December.
"What was decided was to get the women's commission and the ethnic scholarship to gather feedback from manufacturers, players and other interested parties, and to come up with another proposal for the best dress code for female and male players."
Meanwhile, China's Olympic Lin Dan insists he has no plans to follow rival Lee Chong Wei into retirement after next year's London Olympics.
"So long as the national team does not kick me out, I will play on," Lin was quoted as saying yesterday.
Malaysia's world No. 1 Lee, who has failed to win an Olympic or world singles title, plans to walk away after the 2012 London Games.
Lin, dubbed "Super Dan" by his fans and local media, has won everything there is to win and made his pledge to carry on at the Singapore Open on Wednesday. The tournament is the first "super series" in qualifying for the London Olympics and has attracted nine of the world's top ten players in men's singles.
Lin's notoriously short fuse has triggered run-ins with badminton officials, last-minute tournament pullouts and bust-ups with rivals and coaches. He is the only player to complete the so-called "super grand slam" of Olympic, world championship, World Cup, Thomas Cup, Sudirman Cup, All England Open, Asian Games, and Asia championship gold medals.
