New Delhi, April 26: Former Indian badminton coach Vimal Kumar has launched a sharp critique against the Badminton World Federation (BWF) after it officially approved a sweeping change to the sport's scoring format, replacing the long-standing 3x21-point system with a new 3x15-point structure effective January 2027. Kumar called the decision not a step forward but a "dilution" of everything that makes badminton exceptional, warning that the move risks stripping the sport of its defining qualities.

BWF Votes Overwhelmingly for New Scoring Format

The landmark decision was taken at the BWF Annual General Meeting held in Horsens, Denmark, where the proposal sailed through with a commanding 198-43 vote — well beyond the two-thirds majority required to amend the existing format. The new system will see matches played as best-of-three games to 15 points, with a tie-breaker extension up to 21 points if scores are level.

The BWF justified the change as part of a modernisation drive, arguing that shorter, sharper matches will attract new audiences, improve broadcast appeal, and ease the physical burden on players. The federation had been piloting the format at select tournaments for over a year before bringing it to a full vote.

Vimal Kumar's Stinging Rebuke

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Vimal Kumar — a respected voice in Indian badminton who has coached top-ranked players — said he was "extremely disappointed" with both the decision and the scale of support it received from council members. He argued that the existing format was the backbone of competitive integrity in the sport.

"The existing format ensured a true level playing field across playing styles, especially in the premier events — Men's and Women's Singles — which have always embodied the very essence of our sport: skill, resilience, fitness, and mental strength," Kumar wrote. He added that by effectively removing nearly 18 points' worth of play, the BWF risks gutting the very drama that made these matches compelling.

Kumar was particularly dismissive of the federation's claim that the new format will "create early excitement," calling it "short-sighted." He argued that badminton's unique selling point has always been its sustained intensity — a quality very few sports can replicate — and that the new system trades depth for novelty.

Why Singles Bears the Brunt

A key strand of Kumar's argument is that any format change should have been applied selectively — specifically to doubles events — while leaving singles formats untouched. He described singles as the "flagship category" and the soul of the sport, noting that a competitive 90-minute singles match can involve nearly an hour of shuttle in active play, far surpassing many other sports in terms of continuous athletic output.

This distinction matters because singles and doubles demand fundamentally different physical and tactical profiles. Critics of the new system, including Kumar, argue that compressing the scoring in singles disproportionately disadvantages players who rely on stamina, court craft, and the ability to build long rallies — qualities that are now less likely to be decisive under a shorter format.

Deeper Issues: Player Welfare and Officiating Gaps

Kumar's critique extended well beyond the scoring change. He highlighted what he described as a systemic neglect of player welfare within the sport's governance structure. Specifically, he pointed to three unresolved issues:

• No prize money for the BWF World Championships — one of the sport's most prestigious events
• No meaningful increase in financial rewards for singles players, despite the category's central status
• No review or referral system for critical umpiring decisions, leaving players without recourse on contested calls

"Players are expected to adapt — but are rarely heard," Kumar wrote pointedly, drawing a contrast with other global sports that have invested in athlete empowerment, improved officiating technology, and enhanced viewer engagement. He argued that badminton is moving in the opposite direction at precisely the moment it should be capitalising on its massive following, particularly across Asia.

Broader Implications for Indian Badminton

India has emerged as one of the world's premier badminton nations over the past decade, producing champions like PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy. The new scoring system could have significant implications for how Indian players train and compete at the international level. Coaches and selectors will need to recalibrate conditioning programmes and match-strategy frameworks to suit a format where early momentum is even more critical.

This development also arrives at a time when Indian badminton is navigating its own governance and funding challenges, making Kumar's broader concerns about player welfare and prize money particularly resonant for domestic stakeholders.

With the new 3x15 scoring system set to take effect from January 2027, the coming months will be crucial — both for players adapting their game and for the BWF to address the legitimate concerns raised by coaches, former players, and fans who fear the sport's identity is being reshaped for commercial convenience rather than competitive excellence.