walkover mean the other team is forfeit? I don't know if this is the same tournament that i looked for the draw, but I saw #1 MD for indo got walked over by taipei. Well it say the taipei team on top and the word "walk over" at bottom
Poor canada team this time.. WORLDS - Injuries hit Canada Hard Less than a month after an impressive showing at the U.S. Open Grand Prix, nearly half the Canadian contingent has withdrawn from the World Championships in Hyderabad. Stefan Wojcikiewicz was one of 9 Canadian semi-finalists in the U.S. Open but he had to withdraw from his semi-final match because of an injury that is also keeping him home from India. Anna Rice left Orange County a happy, but not so healthy, Grand Prix titleist and she, too, does not feel up to the trip to Asia. "Neither is too serious," Rice told Badzine, "but we weren't able to get the preparation training needed to perform to our maximum so better to get healthy and prepare for next season." Also absent from the lineup in India are Bobby Milroy, who has been afflicted with a knee injury since the spring, and Charmaine Reid. Five athletes will be showing the Maple Leaf in India next week, however, including national champions Toby Ng, William Milroy, and Fiona Mckee, as well as Derrick Ng and Adrian Liu. anyway, wishing them all the best this time though http://www.badzine.info/index.php/n...ash/1984-worlds-injuries-hit-canada-hard.html
Just got this from Malaysia China Press http://www.chinapress.com.my/breaking_new.asp?a=0810bkf10.txt England is withdrawing the whole team from this WC 09 in Hyderabad....because of terrorist Threatening in Hyderabad
^^For realz???..^^ ..wow, they are indeed taking this terrorist threat seriously...If so, there goes Robertson & Clark being one of the challengers to the rest of the MD field..and their XD pairing..
I got the news from QQ as well. England team just left India in this morning. Denmark team and Netherland team still hesitating whether to withdraw or not. QQ: http://sports.qq.com/a/20090809/000358.htm
WORLDS – Team England decides to go home after Security threats The first big story of these World Championships is the massive withdrawal from Team England after the latter were concerned for the safety of their players. The event hasn’t started yet but already, one big news items will be shortly everywhere in the local press: Team England has decided to go back home before the kick-off of the event, due to the threats over the Championships. A recent story in the local press mentioned possible threats targeting the World Badminton Championships but BWF officials and organizers held a press conference immediately afterward, reassuring all teams that all measures had been taken to ensure players' safety. The local police commissioner was quoted as saying that there were no specific threats, but normal routine checks before the events. Team England has nevertheless decided to head back home, as confirmed during the managers' meeting held in the ISTA Hotel in Hyderabad, on Sunday afternoon. According to the latest news, the teams from Scotland and Wales had decided to stay in India. The decision took effect quickly as the English were on their way back to Singapore on Sunday evening – the journey had already started out badly for the Europeans, who had seen their flight cancelled on Friday and had to leave the next morning at 6AM. Adrian Christy, Chief Executive of Badminton England, said: "This was an incredibly tough decision and one we didn't take lightly. After the Olympic Games, this is the most prestigious Championships in the world but we were not prepared to risk the safety of our players, coaches and staff in what we felt could have been a very volatile environment. “We are extremely grateful for the speed in which the BWF and the Organising Committee reacted to the concerns following the threat. We have carefully considered the comments made by the local police authorities and we know that they have the best interest of all competitors in mind. “We have also listened to the advice from the Foreign Office and British High Commission. We have been in constant dialogue with them over the past couple of days. The conclusion is that safety is of paramount importance and therefore, with great regret, the team will be returning home immediately." Ian Moss, the England Performance Director, said: “It is a disappointing outcome, especially after we had enjoyed a very good preparation at our holding camp in Doha, Qatar, last week. Our athletes were extremely well prepared for these Championships but, at the end of the day, personal safety must take priority over performance. This was a unanimous squad decision and is not reflective of the efforts made by the Organising Committee to create the safest environment possible for all athletes.” For Peter Gade, Denmark’s top men’s singles player, the threats are a concern but so far, he and his teammates have tried to keep focussed on something else. "At the moment it’s all very quiet and calm here and of course all the Danish players are worried but also relaxed about it. Today there will be a managers' meeting and updates on the situation.” The English team was eyeing good performances in mixed and men’s doubles mainly, with Clark/Kellogg and Robertson/Clark, while Rajiv Ouseph and Andrew Smith were involved in the men’s singles. A bad birthday for Robert Adcock who was to celebrate in Indian style. These six, along with Gabby White and Jenny Wallwork, are all now on their way back to England via Singapore. Source: http://www.badzine.info/index.php/n...ecides-to-go-home-after-security-threats.html
Wow..It's off to a not-so-pleasant start.. ..Denmark and Netherlands squads are contemplating withdrawing also...And the first matches will start in several hours...Wow, such a sudden move for the organizing committee.. The part abt the ENG team having flight difficulties is reminiscent of their trip to the 2005 WC, in Anaheim. In that edition, though, they were stranded at Heathrow airport for several hours (because of the British Airways employees' strike) and weren't able to arrive until the day prior to the event. I believe they were the last remaining participants to arrive. Can you imagine the hectic schedule!! It got even worse when Nathan Robertson suffered a major ankle sprain, during the team's practice session the day before the start of the event, and had to withdraw from the XD event (yes, saw it with my own eyes>>check out the 2005 WC pics thread)..
For Denmark the players have a meeting and gets informed by risk asessment from security advisors, The individual danes are of course free to make an individual decision if they want to go home, but the danish team does currently feels player safety is assured for the championships. /T
By badminton standards, the withdrawal of the English team is really big news in the UK i.e. it has actually made the news, in a fairly big way as well. If anything good has come out of this at least people may know that the badminton world champs exist and are actually taking place as it won't have got any coverage otherwise.
OMG. So the threat is really serious? I wish safety for the rest. And of all sports, why target badminton? I mean, we're a peaceful, disciplined, loving sports group (hehehe).
I know first time I have seen it on the news since all England Anyway they weren't going to win anything so In my opinion they saved themselves some money and embarasment Now Scotland are the top uk team by default !!
How have they saved themselves money, they will have already paid for flights/accommodation etc and don't forget that they actually flew out there only to have to return. If anything changing the flights etc will have cost more. As for embarrassment, I don't think that as a Scot (with your mighty team of 2 players) you can really comment and anyway Clark/Robertson were in form and would have fancied their chances, especially with the draw slightly weakened. I think it's a shame, particularly for the players as tournaments like this in this format with the bigger draw don't come around too often, and for them to have prepared for months and even actually fly out for a such huge tournament, only to have to fly back on the the day before it's due to start surely must be disappointing.
