HC asks BAI to consider sending women`s team to 2014 tourneys

Mumbai: Observing that Badminton Association of India`s (BAI`s) move to send only men`s doubles team to upcoming Korean and Malaysian international tournaments amounted to gender discrimination, the Bombay High Court on Tuesday asked the Association to consider sending a women`s team also.

A division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice M S Sanklecha asked both BAI and Sports Authority of India (SAI) to look into the issue and consider sending a women`s doubles team to the tournaments to be held in January, 2014. The issue was raised by city-based shuttler Prajakta Sawant who has alleged she was not being selected by BAI to play in tournaments as she had levelled harassment allegations against chief national coach Pullela Gopichand. Sawant alleged the Association, by not sending a women`s team to the forthcoming tournaments, was making all players suffer. BAI today told the court that it was an administrative decision not to send a women`s team. The Association further said players are selected to play for tournaments based on their ranking. The court, however, asked BAI to reconsider its decision and posted the matter for further hearing on December 24.