BAI boycotts international badminton tournament in Pakistan
The Badminton Association of India (BAI) has withdrawn its players from an international tournament in Pakistan scheduled for later this month amid escalating tensions between the Asian neighbours following the terrorist attack in Uri that saw 19 Indian soldiers killed.
“The announcement comes as an act of solidarity with the decisions of the government of India in the wake of the ongoing tensions between the two countries,” BAI president Dr. Akhilesh Das Gupta said in a press release.
“On behalf of the council members of BAI and the entire badminton fraternity, we express strong concerns and support towards the sentiments of our fellow citizens of India,” he added.
BAI’s decision comes after India withdrew its invitation to Pakistan for the Kabaddi World Cup to be held in Punjab from Nov 3. “The situation... following the surgical strike by Indian Army at the LoC does not augur well to invite Pakistan for the Kabaddi World Cup,” organising committee president and Punjab cabinet minister Sikander Singh Maluka told domestic media.
Meanwhile, the Indian cricket board has requested the International Cricket Council to avoid placing the two countries in the same group in preliminary stages of global competitions.
“Keeping in mind that the (Indian) government has adopted a new strategy to isolate Pakistan, and in view of the public sentiment in the country, we request ICC not to put India and Pakistan in the same pool of multi-nation tournaments,” BCCI president Anurag Thakur said in a statement last week.
“If the two countries reach the (knock-outs) semi-finals and have to clash at that time, it is another situation which can't be avoided,” Thakur concluded.