The first ever All-India Administrator’s Badminton Tournament for under-14 and under-17 years (boys and girls), which was scheduled to be held this month, has now been postponed until January 2025, the Sports Department officials have confirmed.
The cup, which has been introduced for the first time in the department’s history, will be organised on the lines of the All-India Administrator’s Challenge U-17 Football Cup, which the department has been hosting for almost two decades now.
About football cup
The Sport Department, meanwhile, has filed a review petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court over its judgment last month regarding conducting age-verification test on players who had come to participate in the 20th All-India Administrator’s Challenge U-17 Football Cup.
It was for the first time in 20 years that the department had to postpone the meet, given the limited time it had for conducting the age-verification tests on all players.
On the review petition, the notice of motion has already been issued and sources claimed that there was no pronouncement regarding postponing the tourney or conducting age-verification tests of all players.
It was mandated to conduct tests on the players over the question of being ‘overage’ during initial verification.
As per plan, the department will invite two top-ranking players from different states here to compete in singles, doubles and mixed doubles (for both age groups) categories under the Badminton Association of India (BAI) banner.
The top-ranking players, affiliated with the BAI and having represented respective states in various national and state events, will be in action — most likely at the Sector 38 Centre of Excellence for Badminton Sports Complex.
The details of the players will be available on the BAI website to avoid any controversy like the football tournament. Though, the department is having eight dedicated badminton courts across the city, the Sector 38 venue may be chosen for hosting the event, while the badminton hall at Sector 7 Sports Complex may be the backup venue.
The approximate budget for the tournament is Rs 45 lakh, almost double the existing All-India Administrator’s Challenge Football Cup, which has approximately Rs 25 lakh expenditure.
The top seeds who participated in the recently concluded North Zonal Badminton Championship are likely to be part of the event.
