Badminton Shuttlecock Shortage In India: BWF Says It's Not A 'Crisis' Yet

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Posted by AI on 2025-08-22 11:11:04 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-08-22 14:04:36

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Badminton players and fans in India are grappling with a sudden shortage of shuttlecocks, but the sport's global governing body, the Badminton World Federation (BWF), says the situation is not yet critical.

The lack of shuttlecocks, which are made from feathers of goose or duck wings, is causing tournaments to be cancelled or postponed in India, leaving players confused and disappointed.

The BWF, which is based in Singapore, admits the supply chain has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, but insists the crisis is not just limited to India.

"It is not a crisis yet, but it's a problem," BWF spokesman Owen Leech told the AFP news agency.

"A shortage of shuttlecocks is affecting various countries, not just in India," Leech said, adding that the BWF is working with manufacturers to try to resolve the issue.

Leech said a surge in demand after the pandemic lockdowns, a supply chain crisis in China, and uncertainties over the Russia-Ukraine war had contributed to the problem.

Shuttlecock manufacturers in China, the world's largest producer of feathers, are also said to be struggling with wage inflation and a shortage of workers, according to a report by The Hindu newspaper.

Leech's remarks came as a badminton tournament in the southern city of Trivandrum was cancelled on Saturday due to a lack of shuttlecocks.

The All India Badminton Association (AIBA) has asked its state associations to quantify the shortage to plan for the next national championship, according to local media reports.

Last month, the AIBA cancelled the national games trials in Assam citing a similar shortage, and the state's badminton association vice-president, Ramen Buragohain, told the Reuters news agency that the situation was "disheartening".

"The players are very confused and disappointed," he said. "There is no clarity on when the supply will be normal."

The sport's stakeholders in the country are now waiting for the national federation to announce a date for the upcoming senior national championship, which was originally scheduled for August.

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