Elsewhere, I posted that, in the Maldives, the locals don't play badminton. How wrong I was I should have made it clear that the locals don't play badminton 'in the resorts'... and that's only because the few courts they have are reserved for the guests. The Maldives has a small but active badminton community. This is centred on Male (maa-lay) - the capital island. There are no resorts on this island - and the resident population is almost fully Maldivian. The happening place is the Male Indoor Stadium - a large hangar-type structure that, on one side, serves as offices for the various sports associations and, on the other side, is partitioned to allow a basketball court and four badminton courts. To play here, you need to sign up for an annual membership. This costs two photographs (keep them handy) and MVR 650 (USD 51). This gets you a laminated photo-identity card but, well, it takes a few days. (Life in the Maldives is slow-paced... and such delays are normal). Meanwhile, you can gain entry by flashing your receipt at the gates. Remember to bring (or buy) shuttles and your choice of drink. There are no vending machines around - and you'd have to walk some distance to get soft drinks or bottled water. The locals use 77 speed RSL shuttles - they are cheap and bad. It's very difficult to persuade them to use Yonex or ProAce or other brands. Just remember to hit your clears more gently - else, it's out every time! The national team trains here (they are now away at the ABC) and all the ex-national players who haven't yet migrated elsewhere play here in the evenings (except on Friday, which is the weekly holiday). A few of them are very very good - fast, sharp and powerful - and Moosa, their best player, is quite an exceptional player. Around a dozen women too turn up regularly - although they usually play among themselves, a few are good enough to play a good game of mixed doubles. The Maldives has now in place a programme that aims to build quality teams in football, basketball (yes, they do have quite a few very tall players) and badminton. In fact, they beat India in the South Asian Federation Games recently. (Although Indian football is no big deal in global terms, it is big in the region.) I've tried uploading some pictures... but, as with other things here, internet speeds are woefully low
Sounds like Will be a good place to take the family when they want a holiday away from it all.............(except the badminton for us of course!!!)
many thanks to Oldhand for the effort of bringing us photos in Maldives. i still remember that we have BC member in Maldives. dont know what happened next..... maybe we should ask Oldhand to scout him out??
Um, what makes you so sure that it's a 'he'? Although the badminton community is small here, I couldn't find that member. kwun too had told me about a member from the Maldives... but, at least for the moment, he/she remains elusive I'll give it another try tomorrow as I'm here until Friday
just an assumption...... if the member is a she. i am wondering now whether the limit is till Friday...
Actually, that's just one of my yachts Um, I have more pictures here Please remember to conceal your envy Well, Malaysia is far more beautiful Yes, if you have the money. The place is damn expensive
M'sia is more beautiful?? heheehhehehhe........... expensive? not used to USD?? you spend too much in SGD, suddenly, all the pricing is USD .......
That's neat.. ...pretty soon and hopefully in the near future, they'll occupy all of the hangar space for badminton.....Btw, you did tell them about BC, didn't you??.. *thanks for sharing the pics, too..
Yes, the General Secretary of the Badminton Association of the Maldives (another BAM) is a BC member. He is also a wonderful player - an ex-national who played in the international circuit in the late 1990s
All England Open 2003 winner Muhamed Hafiz Hashim of Malaysia with Ali Naseer Abdulla, General Secretary of the Badminton Association of the Maldives (BAM). This picture was taken at the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games (when, Ali says, they were changing shirts)
The Maldivian National Badminton Squad with President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom (and other officials) after winning the Team Silver at the Indian Ocean Island Games 1993. Among those standing at the back, the first seven men in blue jackets are from the badminton team - (from left) Hassan Riyaz, Francis Chia (Malaysian Coach), Ali Naseer Abdulla, Mohamed Sharath, Abdulla Shakeeb, Ali Amir (Manager & the new President of BAM) and Moosa Nashid (Captain) (The three remaining men in blue are from the national windsurfing team.)