BADMINTON FEDERATION DOES AWAY WITH GRAND PRIX RANKINGS

January 14, 1997 (New Shuttlenws) - The International Badminton Federation has decided to do away with the Grand Prix rankings and will only be using one ranking list instead of the two that had been in use in recent years.

Only the world rankings list, used primarily in the past for determining the players who would qualify for the Olympics, will remain. Participants in the Grand Prix Finals, the year-ending tournament of elite players, will be selected from the world ranking list.

The elimination of the Grand Prix rankings removes a source of confusion among badminton fans and enthusiasts.

The world ranking list will also be used to select entries for the upcoming world championships in May. All players and pairs ranked in the top 16 at the cutoff date at the end of April will qualify to play in the world championships. Players and pairs below the top 16 will be subject to a limit of 4 entries per event per national badminton association.