BWF Super Series - Changes to qualifying rounds

(JAKARTA, May 16) -- Super Series 3 will herald some key adjustments for 2009 with qualifying events undergoing the biggest change.

From September all Super Series qualifying draws will be cut from 32 to 16.

The decision was taken by the BWF Council at its meeting in Jakarta on Friday, May 16, following a recommendation from the Sports Committee.

Sports Committee chair Anne Smillie (Scotland) said: "We have found that the qualifying has become too big, almost a tournament in itself. It puts too big a strain on the qualifiers to come through three or four qualifying matches in one day and then be expected to perform in the first round proper the following day. It is just not realistic."

The Super Series is a 12 tournament series designed to attract the top 32 players from around the world with a minimum of USD$200,000 prize money for each tournament.

The BWF introduced the Super Series format to showcase badminton at a higher level of competitiveness, to increase television coverage for the sport and to increase the star quality and popularity of the top players in the world through a wider television audience.

In another breakthrough it has been decided that there should be at least eight BWF umpires invited to officiate at each Super Series. "This is to ensure a good nationality spread," said Anne "and to preserve impartiality."

Notional ranking will continue until further notice and also the first M & Q list will be used for events for both seeding and ranking.

(Credit: BWF)