Commissioner of Sports Mohamed Thalaal has expressed hope that the issues of the Maldives Badminton Association will be resolved very soon, similar to how the Football Association’s matters were settled. The Commissioner of Sports stated that the Maldives Olympic Committee is in discussions with the Badminton World Federation (BWF) to improve the affairs of the Badminton Association. Thalaal said that the aim is to establish a way for the Maldives Badminton Association to operate in line with international best practices.
“We hope that everyone in badminton will come together and put it on the right path, allowing badminton activities to proceed in a proper manner. We’re not dictating any specific action action, but we want it to move forward in accordance with best practices,” Thalaal said. He added that he is hopeful a good solution will be found through the discussions between the MOC and BWF. The Badminton World Federation (BWF) suspended the Maldives on May 16, stating that the ad hoc committee formed by the Commissioner of Sports and the Maldives Olympic Committee (MOC) did not include a former member of the Badminton Association.
The Ministry of Sports temporarily revoked the national status given to the Badminton Association of Maldives (BAM) on April 30, until necessary changes are made to the association’s governing regulations and its executive committee is elected. The MOC has also consulted with the Badminton World Federation and the Asian Federation to resolve the Badminton Association’s issues. Commissioner of Sports Mohamed Thalaal had previously stated that the national status of the Badminton Association was revoked and action was taken against it due to fears that the sport might deteriorate, affecting the rights of badminton players and the association’s technical officials.
