Source:REUTERS/VCG
[Saba Sports News] Danish badminton star Anders Antonsen recently updated his social media, criticizing the Badminton World Federation’s announcement of a 25-second serve countdown rule for the 2026 season. He stated that the rule is disconnected from the realities of high-level competition, bluntly saying, ‘BWF doesn’t understand the game,’ as it compresses rest time.
Antonsen suggested that time standards should be subdivided based on the event type and characteristics rather than a simple uniform timing method. The BWF’s intention behind the new rule is commendable; replacing subjective referee judgment with quantitative timing is a necessary trend to enhance fairness in competitions and align with the broadcast rhythms of modern sports.
However, the real challenge lies in the significant differences in physical demands and rally tempos between various badminton events. The intense competition in men’s singles has very different rest time needs compared to the quick attack and defense in doubles and mixed doubles, making it difficult to apply a uniform standard across all scenarios.
I believe that Antonsen’s criticism serves as a wake-up call for the new rule, reminding the BWF that in its pursuit of standardization and efficiency, it cannot lose sight of the practical realities of the court and the interests of the players.