Source: REUTERS/LAI SENG SIN
[Saba Sports News] Recently, the Badminton World Federation announced a major decision to trial the “3-game, 15-point” scoring system in some Tier 3 BWF events and national championships this season. Following the announcement, Malaysian badminton legend Lee Chong Wei once again expressed his stance, insisting on opposing this system. Lee believes that the current 21-point system is widely accepted, and shortening the format may weaken the depth of technical confrontation, leading to a decrease in match watchability, and changing the number of games may affect the technical contest between players. From the athlete’s perspective, Lee believes that players need to frequently enter high-intensity confrontation states, making the match too simple and crude, which may increase the instantaneous load on muscles and joints, increasing the risk of athlete injuries. At the same time, the shortened duration of a single game increases the value of each point, reduces the margin for error, and increases the psychological pressure on athletes. The editor believes that the BWF needs to balance the demands of athletes and other parties; the reform of the 3-game, 15-point system may prioritize commercial interests and audience experience without fundamentally optimizing athlete health management, potentially sacrificing some athletes’ health for commercial gains.