KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 26, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – The Asian leg of the 2020 badminton
world tour scheduled for November has been moved until next year in Bangkok,
officials said, in the latest disruption to the sport due to the coronavirus
pandemic.
The sport has seen international matches called off throughout the year as
authorities around the world restrict movement and public gatherings in an
effort to prevent the spread of the virus.
The Badminton World Federation said three tournaments under the tour were
now scheduled to be played back-to-back in mid-January, with the finals at
the end of the month.
It said the Asian leg of the games originally planned for November were no
longer “viable” and decided the Asian leg of the tour should be played in
Thailand.
“The January dates provide BWF with the best possible opportunity to resume
and complete the HSBC BWF World Tour for 2020 as part of our return to
international badminton,” it said in a statement late Friday.
Two of the tour’s Super 1000 tournaments will begin on January 12 and 19,
with the finals to be played on the 27th and ending on the 31st.
The news comes as the sport’s bosses around Asia elected not to take part
in the Thomas and Uber Cup matches set for October, with the event in Denmark
called off last week.
The Cup has been postponed three times this year and will not take place
until 2021.
Next month’s Denmark Open is the only top-level event confirmed on this
year’s calendar.