Guwahati Prepares to Host BWF, BAI World Junior Championships

Guwahati is preparing to host the World Junior Championships from October 13-19. The Badminton Association of India (BAI) and Badminton World Federation (BWF) are working on several fronts, including immigration processes, securing sufficient practice courts, facilitating smoother traffic, booking hotel rooms, setting up the competition venue, and implementing a new scoring system.

This is the second time India is hosting the event. Earlier, Saina Nehwal emerged as the girls’ singles champion in the 2008 edition held in Pune. Ahead of the forthcoming championships, about 600-700 players and officials are expected to arrive in Guwahati. As of now, 39 teams have confirmed their participation in the team event, while 10-12 additional countries are likely to participate in the individual competition.

The Competition will be held at the National Centre of Excellence (NCoE), which was inaugurated in 2023. Thomas Lund, BWF secretary-general, highlighted the quality of the NCoE facilities and expressed confidence in organizing a smooth event. Alongside, there will be an updated relay system introduced in the mixed team tournament, and the individual championships will test a 3×15 scoring system.

India’s successful conduct of this event is important, as it is slated to host the senior World Championships next year. The Indian Open, India’s major annual event, earlier faced criticism for its “unhealthy and unacceptable” playing conditions, particularly air pollution and dirt.

The former junior national coach, Sanjay Mishra, ensured efficient event planning, with the BWF team being satisfied with hotel accommodations, practice courts, and the 3,500-seat venue. He brought to light that direct flights from Malaysia or Singapore to Guwahati are a boon for those coming from these countries, and a meet-and-greet team has been set up for those arriving via New Delhi.

Despite challenges faced during the BWF World Championships in Hyderabad in 2009, which saw the England squad and two Austrian shuttlers withdrawing due to security concerns, Mishra is confident the venue won’t present any problems this time. He praised the NCoE as the biggest plus point, saying everything is ideal and it has already been approved by BWF.

Thomas Lund also supported BAI’s potential to meet the technical requirements necessary for hosting such a level of championship, although he acknowledged the innovative scoring system will be a novel endeavor for everyone involved.