Ahn Se-young: Badminton Rule Change & Pressure on Reigning Champ

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[OSEN=우충원 기자] The World Badminton Federation announced major changes in the management of the game. As the possibility of changing the basic framework of the international badminton stage increases, various interpretations are emerging among players and fans.

The World Badminton Federation announced on the 2nd of last month (Korean time) that it approved the introduction of a 15-point, 3-set first-scoring system through its board of directors. This rule will be officially adopted at a future general meeting.

The key to this change is the scoring system. Currently, international competitions are run on the basis of 21 points per set, but if the new system is introduced, all matches will be played in 3 sets of 15 points. The superficial reason given by the federation is clear. The purpose is to reduce injuries and overuse and increase the efficiency of game management as the number of games per player increases.

Here, box office factors were also taken into consideration. The calculation is to provide strong tension and a sense of speed in a short period of time, thereby increasing the influx of younger generations who prefer fast-paced development. The intention is to create a structure where the game fluctuates from the beginning without having to wait until the latter part of the game.

However, not all views are positive. Some interpret this system change as an adjustment to reduce the influence of certain players, especially unrivaled stars such as Ahn Se-young. The logic is that the shorter the game time, the greater the possibility of an upset occurring, and players who put their stamina and willpower first may be at a relative disadvantage.

The gaze surrounding Ahn Se-young is also in line with this. It is argued that the rule change is an attempt to change the flow of the game itself in a situation where there is virtually no opponent in women’s singles.

Kim Dong-moon, president of the Korea Badminton Association, also expressed a similar view in the larger picture. He said that it is true that the direction to change from the 21-point system to the 15-point system has been decided, and predicted that the final decision will be made at the general meeting in May next year after passage by the board of directors.

Chairman Kim explained the logic of the federation as follows. Interesting scenes often appear in the second half of the game as concentration is maximized, but it is believed that reducing the game time will allow players to be more active from the beginning and, as a result, will increase the number of exciting scenes throughout the game. Ultimately, the analysis is that it is a calculation to provide greater fun to fans.

However, they did not hide the fact that the favorable trend for Korean players, including Ahn Se-young, could be broken. The explanation is that in a situation where there is currently no player who can clearly overpower Ahn Se-young, it is inevitable that some will wonder if they are trying to change the rules. In particular, for Ahn Se-young, whose strength lies at the back, the structure of being forced to win quickly is not necessarily positive, and he also mentioned the possibility of being asked to change his style to a more aggressive management.

Nevertheless, he did not view the change itself as only negative. Although there will be a clear impact in the early stages of implementation, he emphasized that any system requires time to adapt. It is believed that all players start from the same conditions and that players with better skills will ultimately overcome the changes. / [email protected]

Woo Choong-won ([email protected])