Low turnout in badminton camp
A majority of badminton players were absent on the opening day of a two-month training programme under a foreign coach which started at the Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Indoor Stadium yesterday even though the appointment of a foreign coach has long been a demand by the shuttlers themselves.
Ahead of the Yonex-Sunrise Bangladesh International Challenge and Bangladesh International Junior in December, Badminton Asia sent Malaysian coach Arvind Varma to Bangladesh for three months. The Malaysian conducted a short-term training for the shuttlers who took part in the meets in December.
Considering the performance of senior and juniors, Varma has now called upon 13 shuttlers -- eight men and five women -- for a two-month training. However, only four players -- Shapla Akter, Urmi Akter, Mohammad Shuvo and Zumar Amin -- turned up on the opening day. Minhazuddin Ahmed, not in the 13-players list, also attended the training.
Even though the Malaysian did not openly express his dissatisfaction over the poor turn-up of shuttlers, he hoped more players would join within the next week.
Country's top shuttlers Gourav Singha, Mangal Singha, Sibghat Ullah and Salam Khan sought time to join the camp citing personal reasons and examinations even though there is a whisper that these players are earning money by playing in local tournaments as there is no financial benefit from the national training camp.
BBF general secretary Amir Hossain Bahar said that some of the players would join the camp after exams and solution of their family problems. Bahar, however, said that the federation would not provide any financial benefit to the players as it is struggling to run the ongoing camp.
However, Varma wants to focus on fitness of the shuttlers as well as the technical and tactical aspects of the game in the two-month training, which will come to an end in late February.
“First, I will focus on the fitness level which is low because they are not maintaining their own fitness. The players do have the potential but they need proper support from the federation, sponsors and their families,” said Varma, who also coached Pakistan under the same programme of Badminton Asia.
“The players have different backgrounds and they need different type of support. They must come in training and we will provide them training support. But they need time to improve,” Varma said. “You won't see progress within two months. If the training continues round-the-year, the improvement will be visible. I think the local coaches are good and the federation should continue the training to develop shuttlers.”
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