HYDERABAD: The Badminton Association of India (BAI) has outlined plans to overhaul its domestic tournament structure as well significantly increase the prize money on offer.
The revamped structure will have three levels of tournaments, Times of India reports.
Level 3 will have six 6 BAI Series Badminton Tournaments in a year with Rs 1 million as prize money for each tournament. While the first three tournaments will be held from May to June, next three will follow in November, the daily reports.
In Level 2, four BAI Super Series Badminton Tournaments will be held, offering Rs 1.5 million as prize money for individual tournaments. Level 1 – the top tier – designated BAI Premier Super Series Tournament, will offer Rs 2.5 million in prize money and will have a restricted-entry event with main draws only. In a league-cum-knockout format, the top 8 singles players in BWF Rankings and top 4 pairs in BWF Rankings below 100 BWF Rank are eligible for direct entry.
“BAI’s goal is not only to unearth the best talents who can sustain a high level of play at international tournaments, but also to create a sustainable domestic structure backed with sizeable prize money to benefit players,” BAI president Himanta Biswa Sarma told TOI.
The Senior Nationals will also have more incentive for players with the total prize money raised to Rs 5 million.
“This rejig of the entire structure will test the very best and will help us to get the cream of players who can be groomed for international tournaments for the biggest tournaments,” BAI general secretary Ajay K Singhania further told the daily.
