Badminton News: In response to the overwhelming turnout from players, the Badminton Association of India (BAI) has decided to extend the deadline for the one-time voluntary age enhancement program until July 10.

This program was introduced to address the age-related problem that is rampant – fraud cases in sports. The BAI Voluntary Age Correction Program is specifically designed for registered players who have a BAI ID but have incorrect birthdates or discrepancies in their age information.

Initially, players had 20 days from June 6 to June 25 to correct their exact date of birth. However, due to the overwhelming response, BAI elected to extend the deadline.

“There has been an overwhelming response and seeing that we have decided to extend the date to July 10, and I hope this extension will support our mission of compliance and betterment of badminton and Indian players,” Sanjay Mishra, secretary of BAI, told PTI. Age deception has long been a persistent problem in badminton.

Several cases of age falsification were reported at the All India Sub-Junior Under-13 Ranking Tournament in Hyderabad last year, as well as the ongoing Under-13 event in Mohali.

In order to address this issue and ensure a level playing field, BAI has implemented strict measures against players found guilty of age-related fraud in BAI-sanctioned tournaments.

These steps are outlined in Badminton India’s new Standard Operating Procedures for Age Verification and Criminal Law, which were approved at the Executive Committee Meeting and Annual General Meeting held on May 21, 2023 in Guwahati.

The Association has made it clear that players who fail to update their data during the Voluntary Age Correction Program grace period may face severe penalties, including disqualification from BAI-approved tournaments, a two-year ban, filing of a First Information Report (FIR) against a parent, and possible disciplinary action.

Additionally, Badminton India has announced that all suspected players will undergo TW3 (bone test) or other approved medical tests at BAI approved centers to verify their age and ensure fair competition.

By extending the deadline and implementing strict measures, BAI aims to tackle the problem of age-related fraud and promote a transparent and fair environment for all Indian badminton players.

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