The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has explained its move in allowing China’s Shi Yu Qi to play in the World Championships from Aug 21-28 in Tokyo, Japan.
China had initially pulled Shi’s name from the entry list. Under Section 3.2.21 of the Regulations for eligibility and processing of entries for World Championships, a player or pair who has declined in Phase One cannot be re-entered.
Phase One entries to the World Championships are based on the world rankings on the last Thursday of April. This year, it fell on April 28.
BWF would then inform the member associations the following day, and they would have until the second Thursday of May to confirm the entries. This year, that was on May 12.
Yesterday, BWF council member Datuk Kenny Goh, had asked the world body to explain its decision.
BWF, in clarifying the matter, released a statement last night saying: “BWF considered Shi Yu Qi as technically ineligible at the time of the first invitation phase due to his suspension, which the Chinese Badminton Association (CBA) confirmed in their letter, as part of their request for special dispensation.
“CBA clarified that subsequent to the first invitation phase, the suspension of Shi was lifted.
“As such, Shi was then considered eligible for an invitation, in substitution for the withdrawal of Chen Long.”
BWF said that as this was a special case, a dispensation under the GCR (general competition regulations) was approved by BWF president Poul-Erik Hoyer, and deputy chair of events, Zhang Jun.
Besides Goh, Shi’s inclusion in the world meet received plenty of attention, especially from Indonesia.