Trouble in BWF

Discussion in 'General Forum' started by starsa, May 5, 2007.

  1. starsa

    starsa Regular Member

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  2. ctjcad

    ctjcad Regular Member

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    Boy, is this for real?????...

    ..bah, more politics in BWF????:confused: :rolleyes::([​IMG] ...if it is, and if it's being led by Mr. Gunalan, then i'm both shocked and am not surprised:p ...When is this going to end???:p ...Hmm, could this be the reason also for the delay of the new BWF logo announcement??..:p
    Anyways, here's what the article is all about..

    Saturday | May 05, 2007
    TROUBLE IN THE SHUTTLE LAND
    A major crisis is brewing in the Badminton World Federation with its deputy president Datuk Punch Gunalan of Malaysia leading a coup de etat against incumbent president Dr Kang Young Joong of South Korea.

    Gunalan wants an extraordinary meeting later this month to remove not only the president but the council as well.

    The move comes barely a couple weeks after a similar attempt by him to remove the current Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the BWF – Ganga Rao – from his position.

    Ganga , was handpicked by Gunalan to be the General Manager of the Federation late last year. He was appointed as the COO by the BWF at its last Executive Board Meeting in Birmingham during the All-England. The appointment did not go down well with Gunalan, who had objected to the move.

    The appointment had positioned Ganga as the head of the BWF secretariat that moved to Kuala Lumpur last year. From the time the BWF secretariat moved to KL in early 2006, Gunalan was running the BWF as the Executive Deputy President.

    Ganga ’s appointment as the COO definitely makes him as the executive with full authority to run the federation.

    The term of the current BWF office bearers does not end until 2009 and the move by Gunalan has stirred a hornets nest.

    It is common knowledge among the badminton fraternity that Gunalan was unhappy with the decisions made by the BWF Executive Body at its meeting in Birmingham .

    The Executive Body had derailed several of his pet projects including the setting up of a company to look after the commercial aspects of the BWF and also the awarding of a US$1 million contract to an India-based software company. The software company that was to have designed the Federation’s webpage and also develop a tournament software failed to deliver the goods and the contract was terminated.

    Just a month later, Gunalan had requested for an Extra Ordinary Meeting to be held and among the agenda to be discussed was the position of the COO and the role of the executive deputy president.

    The BWF president had called for the meeting in Seoul early this month, but Gunalan and his supporters refused to attend the meeting in Seoul and conducted their own meeting in Kuala Lumpur .

    Stay tuned! More to come....

    (posted by Mike)
     
    #2 ctjcad, May 5, 2007
    Last edited: May 5, 2007
  3. kwun

    kwun Administrator

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    i think we need to verify the source first before commenting. the blog where this was posted is brand new and has only one article in it. i haven't not yet read about it from any other credible new sources.
     
  4. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

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    The rules of the BWF do not allow Punch Gunalan or anybody, including the President, to convene an Extra Ordinary General Meeting. EOGM can only be convened by the BWF Council or by 1/6 th the total of active members, in the latter case the COO must convene the EOGM so requested. It will be silly for Punch Gunalan to hold an illegal meeting, whether an AGM or EOGM, because he has no power.
     
  5. llpjlau

    llpjlau Regular Member

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    who is Punch Gunalan? feel like punching him (punch intended)
     
  6. 2NDround

    2NDround Regular Member

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    All well and good. But did he did it anyway?
     
  7. Cheung

    Cheung Moderator

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    So it means we must question the validity and accuracy of the source article.

    Thanks Taneepak!
     
  8. JaCk™

    JaCk™ Regular Member

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    Gunalan is protesting against Ganga? sounds weird. both are from the same country and work hard for the benefits of badminton. power struggle and politics? i doubt the validity of the source.
     
  9. starsa

    starsa Regular Member

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    This is the article from Berita Harian in Malaysia today
    link (Can someone get it translated): http://www.bharian.com.my/m/BHarian/Tuesday/Sukan/20070508055832/Article/Sport_html
    Dalang utama khuatir hilang kuasa yang dinikmati selama ini
    KETIKA ibu pejabat Persekutuan Badminton Antarabangsa (kini dikenali sebagai Persekutuan Badminton Dunia atau BWF) berpindah dari Cheltenham, England ke Kuala Lumpur, ramai yang beranggapan ia sesuatu yang wajar.

    Wajar kerana Malaysia adalah antara gergasi badminton dunia selain orang kuat BWF, Datuk Punch Gunalan adalah rakyat negara ini sebelum ia diperkukuhkan lagi dengan kehadiran Ketua Pegawai Operasi (COO), Ganga Rao yang juga setiausaha Persatuan Badminton Malaysia (BAM).

    Banyak juga janji yang didengar sebelum BWF dipindahkan ke sini lebih dua tahun lalu termasuk mewujudkan pusat latihan badan induk itu di Kuala Lumpur selepas Saarbruken, Jerman; Sofia, Bulgaria dan Guangzhou, China.

    Namun sehingga kini pusat latihan itu yang dijanjikan akan diberikan kepada BAM tidak kedengaran khabar beritanya. Hanya apa yang penulis dengar sebelum ini, ada cubaan pihak tertentu mahu ‘menyerahkannya’ kepada pengurusan sebuah kelab.

    Tujuannya cukup mudah. Ia hanya mahu menambat hati pengurusan kelab itu dalam pancingan awal untuk membawa bos kelab itu menerajui BWF.

    Bagaimanapun, sejak kebelakangan ini sudah kedengaran berita yang kurang menarik dalam BWF yang dikhabarkan sudah menunjukkan keretakan berpunca daripada pergeseran peribadi pegawai di dalamnya.

    Kini dikatakan sudah ada dua kem membabitkan pegawai kanan dan ia semakin ketara minggu lalu apabila Presiden, Dr Kang Young-joong memanggil untuk diadakan mesyuarat Exco di Seoul.

    Dr Kang turut menguruskan tiket penerbangan dan visa selepas ada pegawai yang merungut kesukaran berbuat demikian tetapi apabila tiba tarikhnya, rupa-rupanya ada yang cuma singgah di Kuala Lumpur kerana ada mesyuarat lain yang diatur pihak tertentu untuk menggagalkan usaha presiden itu.

    Politik dalaman itu dikatakan memuncak selepas pihak tertentu ini mula menyedari Dr Kang tidak boleh digula-gulakan begitu sahaja, bukan seperti beberapa presiden terdahulu yang dijadikannya boneka.

    Pihak terbabit turut dikatakan menggunakan ‘'taktik kotor' menghantar emel kepada kebanyakan anggota BWF dalam kempen mereka memburukkan Dr Kang yang tidak tahu berbahasa Inggeris menyebabkan presiden itu lambat bertindak balas kerana menunggu terjemahannya oleh penterjemahnya.

    Malah, dalang berkenaan mahukan mesyuarat agung luar biasa pertengahan bulan ini bukan sahaja untuk mengetepikan Dr Kang tetapi keseluruhan anggota Majlis yang hanya akan tamat tempoh pada 2009.

    Langkah itu hadir beberapa minggu selepas berusaha mengetepikan Ganga yang tidak disenanginya apabila Pengurus Besar BAM itu dilantik Lembaga Eksekutif sebagai COO.

    Difahamkan pihak ini tidak senang dengan pelantikan itu yang memberi kuasa eksekutif yang besar buat Ganga, sekali gus menjadi peneraju ibu pejabat BWF.

    Ini ditambah dengan beberapa keputusan lembaga yang dikatakan tidak menyebelahi projek anjurannya, sekali gus merasakan dirinya mula terpinggir.

    Namun penulis difahamkan kemuncak kemarahannya adalah apabila syarikat IT berpangkalan di Sri Lanka yang dilantiknya dengan pemberian kontrak AS$1 juta (RM3.4 juta) untuk merekacipta laman web BWF serta pembangunan perisian bagi penganjuran kejohanan, ditarik balik selepas gagal memenuhi kehendak.

    Sepanjang minggu lalu juga, pihak terbabit berada di Singapura sempena Terbuka Singapura untuk berkempen agar semua anggota BWF hadir dalam EGM yang dijangka diadakan bulan ini bagi memenuhi agenda peribadinya.

    Lebih menghairankan kempen itu turut disertai seorang petugas bergaji Konfederasi Badminton Asia (BAC) yang sebelum ini turut dikaitkan dengan jawatan COO ketika mesyuarat badan induk itu di Madrid, September tahun lalu.

    Penulis tidak hairan jika kempen sama akan dilanjutkan di Jakarta minggu ini dalam usaha terakhir sebelum EGM itu dilangsungkan.

    Ia sekali gus menunjukkan kempen yang diatur ini mempunyai motif peribadi agar hanya ‘orang sendiri’ atau ‘boneka’ dipilih demi memenuhi kepentingan sendiri – supaya dia mampu ‘menang sorak’, biarpun ‘kampung tergadai.’ Ia jelas bukannya atas nama kepentingan badminton secara keseluruhan.

    Pada ketika ini, penulis rasa alangkah baiknya BWF masih kekal di England ketika ia jauh daripada politik dalaman yang kotor di Kuala Lumpur.

    Jelas faktor menjimatkan pembayaran gaji kerana bukan lagi dibayar dalam mata wang pound, hanya sekadar alasan sedangkan hakikatnya dia mahu mudah menguasai badan induk itu.

    Sama-samalah kita lihat kesudahannya.
     
  10. ctjcad

    ctjcad Regular Member

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    ^^It sounds legit...^^

    ...wow, from the article and from what i can understand the Malay language, looks like the news is legit...Hmmm, yes, i can try to translate it but afraid it won't be really accurate..so can someone else translate it..;) :cool:
     
    #10 ctjcad, May 7, 2007
    Last edited: May 7, 2007
  11. JaCk™

    JaCk™ Regular Member

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    the news is true. there is a power struggle in BWF. power struggle and dirty politics.
     
  12. JaCk™

    JaCk™ Regular Member

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    From both articles above, Datuk Punch Gunalan is protesting against both BWF President and also BWF COO. Datuk Punch Gunalan tried to sabotage the BWF President by sending emails and holding meetings. In the past, ex BWF Presidents are puppets but not the current president. Therefore, there is a need to overthrow the current president. He is also unhappy with the selection of Ganga Rao is the COO of BWF. I feel something is wrong with Datuk Punch Gunalan although he was a great player in the past. Perhaps power crazy.
     
  13. abedeng

    abedeng Regular Member

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    Translation

    Main Player Fears Loss Of Power

    When the headquarters of the International Badminton Federation (now known as the Badminton World Federation or BWF) moved from Cheltenham, England, to Kuala Lumpur, many were of the opinion that it was the right move.

    It certainly made sense because Malaysia is one of the world's badminton powerhouses, and the BWF Strongman, Datuk Punch Gunalan is this country's citizen, before it was strengthened further by the presence of the Chief Operating Officer (COO), Ganga Rao who is also the Secretary to the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM).

    Several promises were made before the BWF HQ was moved here more than two years ago, including the setting up of a BWF training centre in Kuala Lumpur, following similar setups in Saarbrucken, Germany, Sofia, Bulgaria and Guangzhou, China.

    Yet until now there is no further news on the training centre that was initially promised to be managed by BAM. Rumours that this writer heard mentioned of attempts from a certain party to "hand over" management of the centre to a local club.

    The reason is simple. It wants to "bait" the management of the club as the first move towards bringing the club's boss to head the BWF.

    Nevertheless, there has been some disconcerting news from within the walls of BWF lately, and the world body looks to be in fractures due to an internal power struggle between its officers.

    It is said that there are now 2 camps involving BWFs top echelons, and this became more obvious last week when the President, Dr Kang Young-joong called for an Exco Meeting in Seoul.

    Dr Kang even arranged for the flight tickets and visa when a few officers complained of difficulties, but when the time came, apparently some made a stopover to Kuala Lumpur because another meeting was set up by a second party to sabotage the president's efforts.

    This internal political struggle was said to escalate after the other party realized that Dr Kang cannot be manipulated, unlike several previous presidents.

    This other party was said to use several "dirty tactics" by sending emails to many BWF members in its smear campaign against Dr Kang, who not being able to converse in English, was unable to respond until a translation was forthcoming.

    In fact, this party wants to have an extraordinary general meeting by the middle of this month, proposing not only to remove Dr Kang from office, but also all members of the board, all of whom are only expected to finish their term by 2009.

    This effort started a few weeks after it tried to remove Ganga when the BAM General Manager was appointed by the Executive Board as COO.

    It is said that the other party is not happy with the appointment, which will give wider executive powers to Ganga, practically making him the custodian of the BWF HQ.

    This is exacerbated by a few board decisions that did not support projects sponsored by the other party, hence making it feel more isolated.

    However, this writer is made to understand that the main cause of dissatisfaction was when a USD1 million (MYR3.4 million) contract given by the other party to an IT company based in Sri Lanka, for redesigning the BWF website as well as develop software for tournaments, was pulled back when it did not meet requirements.

    All throughout last week, the other party was seen in Singapore during the Singapore Open, to campaign to all BWF members to attend the EGM which is expected to be held this month, just to fulfil its personal agenda.

    More perplexing is that the campaign is also handled by an Asian Badminton Confederation (ABC) staff, who earlier was linked with the COO post during the world body's meeting in Madrid, last September.

    The writer is not surprised if the same campaign will be extended to Jakarta this week, in the last desperate efforts before the EGM is in session.

    It shows that this organized campaign comes with a private motive, whereby only its "own men" or "puppet" is selected to fulfil personal ambitions - in order for the other party to "win big" even if "the house loses". It is definitely not motivated in the name of badminton development as a whole.

    At this juncture, the writer feels that it would have been better had the BWF maintained its old headquarters in England, far from dirty internal politics in Kuala Lumpur.

    Obviously, the wage savings factor due to salary payments no longer in pounds is just a ruse, when the fact is the other party wanted full control of the world body.

    Let us see how this plays out.
     
  14. Neil Nicholls

    Neil Nicholls Regular Member

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    Not really.
    The article is saying that the Deputy President is not following the statutes.
    That alone is no reason to question the article.

    It says "the notice was sent out by the Deputy President, whom despite me searching the statutes with a magnifying glass has no executive powers to do so."

    You can't question it just because it says someone isn't following the rules.
    That is why it is news.
     
  15. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Wah abedeng you daredevil not only with cars but also with your pen!
    Although I can't understand what was written in Malay, you have convinced me that your translation is A+ as far as the English goes.
     
  16. ctjcad

    ctjcad Regular Member

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    Quite sad...

    ...isn't it??:mad::( ...But am i surprised with the news?? not really...:p
    Btw, thanks much for the translation, abedeng..;) :cool:
     
  17. Bbn

    Bbn Regular Member

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    Its not restricted to BWF, extends to most local sports associations.

    a few people who think alike (also look alike ) gang up, form a family

    and fight tooth and nail to exclude others , like animals in the wild.

    I think these peple love the power, the money that goes with it and most of all they have nowhere else to go, desperate as they are,

    in certain cases inspite of all these they still deliver.
     
  18. indbwf

    indbwf New Member

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    BWF Politics

    Firstly, ganga rao , a person appointed as GM in January is made as COO in march less than 3 months
    question is What is his achievement or contribution in less than 90 days to be elevated as COO.
    As soon as Ganga rao was elevated to COO he was marketing the posts for any member associations individual posts in US $$$ like coaches for 10000 US$. When he was auctioning these things question was put up whether council would oppose he had quoted as council members as "Dogs" and president as "Donkey" who will hear whatever he has told and even COO elevation president is the key brain and remaining dogs will follow suit and the media will write whatever he gives money. The entire politics is engineered by ganga rao and sudden spring out is the trio of president doing the screenplay, ganga enacting it and other members following it.
    Certainly, this council members should be given great credit for introduction of several measures to improve badminton as a game and from 156 member associations it has improved to 164 members.
    For whatever has gone wrong last year, president should have morally quit for the following reasons but it was more result oriented to resolve the issues and the differences.

    a. Wrong ranking
    b. Redraws
    c. Russian problem
    d. now politics

    also one fact at the face of it, the executive board can only recommend and council has to approve the appointment of COO and ganga rao cannot become COO immediately.

    Ganga with the ulterior motive and desperation is causing flutters to protect his own business which he is running inside and outside malaysia and give orders to those companies for all commercials which he had wanted to deal. The comments he has made against press media using unparliamentary languages during his club discussions can cause greater pain and the club has thrown him out during the "happy hours".

    If there is a problem persists between ganga and punch then one has to be thrown out since punch had done something and ganga is yet to do anything and there is no way that anyone be it president Dr.kang or punch gunalan or ganga rao has got authority to prevent the badminton community to grow.

    every one should be proud to be part of badminton community and grow badminton to the new heights and weed out every single individual who has vested interests on anything
     
  19. ctjcad

    ctjcad Regular Member

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    Thing is...

    ...these sort of things should not happen!:p ...Why for the sake of certain individual's interest, no matter how they spin it, badminton has to be sacrificed??:confused: :( ...
    Why can't they all *work together* to bring the game of badminton more recognition and respect??...:p :(..
     
    #19 ctjcad, May 9, 2007
    Last edited: May 9, 2007
  20. starsa

    starsa Regular Member

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    INDBWF you need to check your facts on the following:

    1. There is no difference between COO and the General Manager as far as the BWF statutes is concerned.
    Check the statute at http://www.internationalbadminton.org/New%20BWF%20Constitution.pdf

    It says in

    3.2. Chief Operating Officer (COO) means a person appointed under Clause 28 and also means General Manager.

    It seems that those in the Executive Board who were outvoted at the meeting in the redefinition of the GM as the COO is now trying to bring their case to the Council. Isn’t the move morally wrong of these officials. It is good governance when decisions are made at one committee those involved in the decision should not be looking for ways to derail it later.

    Take a look at the last BWF EGM minutes at http://badmintoninternational.net/newseditor/data/645EGMMinutes.pdf

    where it says

    20. On the last question, the Deputy President answered that a General Manager will be appointed very soon and in the interim he is the acting COO.

    Maybe the deputy president was not happy that he has relinquish his interim COO position. He was after all calling himself as the executive deputy president. Was he losing his paid job in the BWF with the appointment of the new COO.

    And just another moot question - Was the interim COO position approved by the council?
     

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