Malé, Maldives – Adhadhu Sports has learned that Maldivian badminton players have missed the opportunity to compete in next month's Badminton Asia Championships in China due to the negligence of the Badminton Association of Maldives (BAM).
Four local players had made it to the first entry list for the tournament, scheduled to be held in Ningbo, China, from April 8-13.
The players included Zayan Zaki and Fathimath Nabaha (Naba) in the singles category, Naba and Aiminath Nabeeha (Naby) in women's doubles, Nibal Ahmed and Zayan in men's doubles, and Zayan partnering with Naba in mixed doubles.
In previous years, when Badminton Asia released the preliminary entry lists, national associations were responsible for confirming the entries and informing the players. However, this year, BAM failed to notify the players before the deadline for the first entry list expired. When the second list was released, Maldivian players had already lost their chance to compete.
Upon learning of the situation, Naba, the national badminton champion and a multiple-time medalist for the Maldives, reached out to BAM via email, seeking clarification. However, she received no response from the association.
In response to the lack of communication and ongoing negligence, Naba escalated the matter by contacting various authorities, including the Badminton World Federation (BWF), the Maldives Olympic Committee (MOC), and the Ministry of Sports.
Speaking on the issue, Naba expressed her disappointment, emphasizing that competing in the Badminton Asia Championships was crucial for her career. She noted that missing the tournament not only cost her valuable ranking points but also posed a significant setback in her professional growth.
"This was an important opportunity for me to move forward, and losing it due to administrative failure is a big blow to my career," she said.
Despite qualifying in three events at this year's championship, Naba ultimately lost her chance due to the association's negligence.
