NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Badminton’s Olympic rankings were frozen on Friday with the game’s governing body saying no further qualifying tournaments will take place before the Tokyo Games this year.
The qualifying period officially closes on June 15 but the current Race-to-Tokyo rankings will not change, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) said in a statement.
“The Olympic qualification process is in effect closed as there are no additional opportunities for players to earn points,” BWF secretary general Thomas Lund said.
“However, we still need to receive confirmations from National Olympic Committees and Member Associations, followed by any possible reallocations, and this will take a number of weeks to complete.”
Former women’s world number one Saina Nehwal of India is among those whose qualification hopes evaporated as she failed to break into the top 16.
Nehwal, who won a bronze at the 2012 London Games, was hoping to improve her 22nd position at the Malaysian Open and the Singapore Open but both were cancelled due to travel complications amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Compatriot P.V. Sindhu, who won a silver in the 2016 Rio Games, is ranked seventh and will be the lone Indian in women’s singles at Tokyo.
(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; Editing by Robert Birsel)
