There is disappointment, and then there is the kind that lingers. The Badminton World Federation’s recent decision to alter the scoring system has drawn concern from within the sport. Among those voicing their unease is former India coach Vimal Kumar, who believes the move risks unsettling badminton’s very core.
“I don’t see the need for this change at all,” Kumar says. “The existing system was already fair and tested. It allowed different styles of players to compete on equal terms,” said Vimal while talking to News Arena India.
For decades, the rhythm of badminton, especially in singles, has been shaped by endurance and patience. Matches were not just contests; they were layered battles where recovery, adaptation and resilience mattered as much as shot-making. That, Kumar feels, is now under threat.
“Singles is the soul of badminton,” he says. “If you take away duration, you take away the chance for players to build a match. It becomes more about bursts than about character.”
The new scoring structure, which effectively shortens match time, has been positioned as a way to generate early excitement. But for Kumar, that reasoning misses the essence of the sport. “Badminton was never short of excitement,” he points out. “What made it special was sustained intensity through long rallies and long matches. That’s where the real test is. Why would you want to reduce that?”
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There is also a sense, he believes, that the change lacks nuance. “If you really wanted to experiment, you could have tried it in doubles. Doubles is already faster and more aggressive. But singles didn’t need fixing.”
Instead, Kumar argues, the focus should have been on deeper structural issues that continue to affect the sport. “Look at the real concerns,” he says. “There’s still no prize money for the World Championships. Singles players who carry the sport’s biggest load are not rewarded enough. And we still don’t have a proper review system for key decisions. These are things that matter.”
Badminton, he adds, remains one of the most physically demanding sports in the world, something its format has always reflected. “Instead of strengthening that image, we are moving away from it.”
Perhaps the most telling concern is the widening gap between decision-makers and those on court. “Players will adapt, they always do,” Kumar says. “But the question is, are they being heard? I don’t think so.”
At a time when other global sports are evolving by prioritising athlete welfare and competitive integrity, badminton seems to be taking a different route, one that feels disconnected. “You want to take the sport ahead, but growth has to make sense,” Kumar adds. “This doesn’t address the real problems. It only changes the surface.”
For a sport followed with such passion, especially across Asia, the shift feels difficult to accept. Not because change is unwelcome, but because this one appears misplaced. “This isn’t progress,” Kumar says. “It’s just making the game smaller.”
By Joe Williams
