knight templar
02-24-2006, 02:01 AM
Denmark has one of the best systems in the world, and there are many good and fair concepts in the structure maintained by the Danish Badminton Association. However there are a few regulations which I would like to see changed for the better. This document discusses just one of those. Namely “the process of seeding in elite junior badminton”. By any modern standards this process is both unfair and tainted by a conflict of interest. This must now be amended so that the DBF is seen to uphold normal ideals of sportsmanship.
The Current State
At present there is only one points scale called the Grand Prix List. Players take part in Grand Prix events all year round and gather points to an eventual finals weekend.
Regulations state that:-
”Pointlisten danner ikke baggrund for seedninger til øvrige turneringer, udtagelser til repræsentative opgaver m.v.”
i.e the point list does not give a background to seeding.
The use of the word ”øvrige” is confusing here. This wording indicates to me that results are connected to seeding in Grand Prix events but not other events. Is this the case ? It has been communicated to me that seedings are not connected to results ! Hence players can therefore do well in an Grand Prix event and lie in the top four places in the Grand Prix ranking list and not receive a seeding to the next event. Why should the system fail to reward players who have fought so hard and played so well ?
Since the Grand Prix list is the only list then why should it not be the indicator for selection to represent Denmark? This surely is the only fair approach.
This document will continue by discussing the possible reasons and proposing a better solution.
Ideas
Why indeed should results not be linked to ranking ? This seems to be an ultimately unfair statement and smaks of the famous “Yante law” – don’t think you are better that me.
Players that do well are not receiving the just reward and hence loose faith in a fair system. Is this what the DBF is aiming for ? I truly believe not - but then why does this rule exist ?
It is possible that the DBF wants to promote a player they feel has a chance of being a top international. This is simply corruption at its worst.
Maybe the idea is to disconnect results and seedings so that the seedings list does not have to be updated on a regular basis. This is a possibility since I observe the points take at least fourteen days to reach the web site. In our modern world of IT this is not an excuse since points earned on Sunday could be in the ranking list by Tuesday and a draw for the next event done on Wednesday. The draw could then be sent out to the clubs via e-mail and still be available more than 9 days before the event!! How difficult can this be?
Maybe the idea is to protect players who get injured but why should they receive seeding protection. This does not happen in senior international badminton so why is it present in Danish junior badminton. This is in fact the only reason I have been offered for this rule. It is simply wrong.
A problem which follows the current regulation is that if seedings are not linked to results then how are the seedings done? Who does them and when? This is by no means clear. Are there any guidelines?
Seedings are (so I am told) presented to the events committee from the national co-ordinator and his trainer. This is hence a purely subjective decision based on an idea or opinion. It is clear that if this is so then any such opinions must not come from any person who has a family connection to a player in the group. This is, and has been done in the past, and simply is not a process which is free of a “conflict of interest”. Any such system must be seen to free of this conflict of interest! I cannot think of any walk of live in which this would be permitted and must change.
There are large numbers of parents who put in hours of work to manage the club and kreds systems. Without their help the system would crumble. However when we get to national elite level one coach and one manager are required and these officials must be free of any personal connection to players. At national level there is much more at stake. Some of the older children begin to think of a career in badminton and hence the rules must be put on a fairer basis.
The final problem with the process of seedings today is that a seeding and eventual draw for an event are often done much too early such that the latest results cannot be taken into account. Hence a player reaching a semi or final has no chance to influence the seedings via his/her good results. Quite simply this is wrong!
Solutions
There are a few simple rules changes which will improve matters vastly:-
a) The Grand Prix points list specifies the ranking list for the next Grand Prix event
b) Nobody with a personal connection to a player or the player’s partners must be involved in any selection of national team or seeding process.
c) The draw for an event must not be carried out earlier than 10 days before the event.
Young players find it hard to speak for themselves. They deserve just as much justice as international senior players in which the seeding rules formulated more along these lines. The young players deserve a better level of reward for their efforts!
Whilst it is clear this is not a matter of “live or death” our players deserve a fairer way to judge their playing ability and a fairer chance at succeeding into international badminton players.
The Current State
At present there is only one points scale called the Grand Prix List. Players take part in Grand Prix events all year round and gather points to an eventual finals weekend.
Regulations state that:-
”Pointlisten danner ikke baggrund for seedninger til øvrige turneringer, udtagelser til repræsentative opgaver m.v.”
i.e the point list does not give a background to seeding.
The use of the word ”øvrige” is confusing here. This wording indicates to me that results are connected to seeding in Grand Prix events but not other events. Is this the case ? It has been communicated to me that seedings are not connected to results ! Hence players can therefore do well in an Grand Prix event and lie in the top four places in the Grand Prix ranking list and not receive a seeding to the next event. Why should the system fail to reward players who have fought so hard and played so well ?
Since the Grand Prix list is the only list then why should it not be the indicator for selection to represent Denmark? This surely is the only fair approach.
This document will continue by discussing the possible reasons and proposing a better solution.
Ideas
Why indeed should results not be linked to ranking ? This seems to be an ultimately unfair statement and smaks of the famous “Yante law” – don’t think you are better that me.
Players that do well are not receiving the just reward and hence loose faith in a fair system. Is this what the DBF is aiming for ? I truly believe not - but then why does this rule exist ?
It is possible that the DBF wants to promote a player they feel has a chance of being a top international. This is simply corruption at its worst.
Maybe the idea is to disconnect results and seedings so that the seedings list does not have to be updated on a regular basis. This is a possibility since I observe the points take at least fourteen days to reach the web site. In our modern world of IT this is not an excuse since points earned on Sunday could be in the ranking list by Tuesday and a draw for the next event done on Wednesday. The draw could then be sent out to the clubs via e-mail and still be available more than 9 days before the event!! How difficult can this be?
Maybe the idea is to protect players who get injured but why should they receive seeding protection. This does not happen in senior international badminton so why is it present in Danish junior badminton. This is in fact the only reason I have been offered for this rule. It is simply wrong.
A problem which follows the current regulation is that if seedings are not linked to results then how are the seedings done? Who does them and when? This is by no means clear. Are there any guidelines?
Seedings are (so I am told) presented to the events committee from the national co-ordinator and his trainer. This is hence a purely subjective decision based on an idea or opinion. It is clear that if this is so then any such opinions must not come from any person who has a family connection to a player in the group. This is, and has been done in the past, and simply is not a process which is free of a “conflict of interest”. Any such system must be seen to free of this conflict of interest! I cannot think of any walk of live in which this would be permitted and must change.
There are large numbers of parents who put in hours of work to manage the club and kreds systems. Without their help the system would crumble. However when we get to national elite level one coach and one manager are required and these officials must be free of any personal connection to players. At national level there is much more at stake. Some of the older children begin to think of a career in badminton and hence the rules must be put on a fairer basis.
The final problem with the process of seedings today is that a seeding and eventual draw for an event are often done much too early such that the latest results cannot be taken into account. Hence a player reaching a semi or final has no chance to influence the seedings via his/her good results. Quite simply this is wrong!
Solutions
There are a few simple rules changes which will improve matters vastly:-
a) The Grand Prix points list specifies the ranking list for the next Grand Prix event
b) Nobody with a personal connection to a player or the player’s partners must be involved in any selection of national team or seeding process.
c) The draw for an event must not be carried out earlier than 10 days before the event.
Young players find it hard to speak for themselves. They deserve just as much justice as international senior players in which the seeding rules formulated more along these lines. The young players deserve a better level of reward for their efforts!
Whilst it is clear this is not a matter of “live or death” our players deserve a fairer way to judge their playing ability and a fairer chance at succeeding into international badminton players.