A crowded schedule is likely to disrupt the conduct of the second edition of the Indian Badminton League (IBL).
The IBL, which is scheduled for September this year, will clash with the world championships (late August) and the Asian Games (mid-September).
“The IBL governing council will meet in March to try and work out a solution,” said Vimal Kumar, the Karnataka Badminton Association president and coach of Bangalore franchise Banga Beats.
The Badminton Association of India (BAI), meanwhile, has begun preparing its top players for the Asian Games and the world championships. Fifty-seven of the best shuttlers in the country have been identified as a ‘core group’ by BAI, and players have been divided into three groups. The groups train and compete in practice matches at three centres — Bangalore (KBA), Hyderabad (Gopichand Badminton Academy) and Lucknow, Vimal said.
“There are plans to bring a few high-ranked Indonesian players to each centre. They will spar with our players; it should prove very useful,” the former national champion said.
Sessions at the KBA began a couple of weeks ago. Vimal added that promising youngsters had been invited to join the camps.
