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Indian Express
4 days ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
Badminton: BWF Junior World Championships in Guwahati to witness trial for proposed new 3×15 scoring system; here's what you need to know
The proposed new 3×15 scoring system will be will be implemented at the individual events at the upcoming BWF World Junior Championships 2025 in Guwahati in October, the Badminton World Federation (BWF), in collaboration with the Badminton Association of India (BAI), confirmed. And a new, updated relay system will be used in the mixed team tournament that usually precedes the individual events. It will be a best of three sets up to 45 points, with each set comprising five matches – one of each event from men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles. A version of the team relay system was first introduced at last year's BWF World Junior Mixed Team Championships 2024. In the individual tournament, the new three-by-15 scoring system will be trialled as part of the wider testing and analysis programme being rolled out by BWF. Both initiatives were approved by BWF Council at the recent BWF AGM in Xiamen, China. Earlier this year, the BWF announced that the 3×15 system will be tested at selected Continental Championships, Grade 3 tournaments, national and international leagues, and national tournaments. The testing period is approximately April to September/October 2025. Towards the end of the testing period, BWF will survey key stakeholders at each tournament as well as an overall survey of all Members, Athletes' Commissions (players), technical officials, and commercial partners. 'BWF Council will make a final decision whether to propose this new system to the BWF Annual General Meeting 2026,' the governing body had said. The 3×15 is already defined as part of the 'Alternative Laws of Badminton' – in simple terms, a match will consist of the best of three games. The game shall be won by the side that first scores 15 points (instead of the current 21). At 14-14, the game will continue to be played till one side gains a two-point lead first. In the current scoring system, 29-29 becomes the decisive point in a game, which will now change to 20-all. So the side scoring the 21st point will win the game in that scenario. As recently as 2021, there was a big push from BWF to change the scoring system to 11 x 5 (best of 5, with 11 points to win a game). It turned out to be an incredibly close vote at the 82nd BWF AGM. The 11×5 proposal received 66.31% votes for and 33.69% against, but it was marginally short of the two-thirds majority needed (>66.67%) What was the Indian reaction to the new format? BAI Secretary General Sanjay Mishra had said there was a mixed reaction from some of India's top players when he sought feedback in February. 'Our players are OK with a different system in leagues, but for the major events on tours, they think the existing system must continue. The feeling is that in a 15-point game, there is not enough time,' Mishra had told The Indian Express. 'My opinion is that other Asian countries like China, Malaysia, and Indonesia may oppose it because it takes away their strengths of fitness and playing long rallies.' Among the players, HS Prannoy who admitted it might suit older players like himself in terms of recovery, wasn't sold on the system still. 'It may shorten matches, but I'm unsure how it will help the sport. A 21-game format match usually lasts about 70 minutes, which isn't excessively long. If we're aiming for better viewership, we should consider changing other aspects like scheduling, broadcast, etc rather than the scoring,' he had told this taily. What's BWF saying? BWF Secretary General Thomas Lund praised BAI and the Guwahati organising committee for implementing these rule changes. 'We are delighted to present a forward-thinking championships promoting innovation for badminton and reflecting a progressive and modern approach by BAI, Guwahati and BWF,' Lund said. 'This is part of BWF's wider long-term considerations for innovation in events and event delivery. The broader goal remains to modernise badminton in ways that protect athlete wellbeing while making the sport even more exciting and engaging for global audiences. It is essential that this process remains inclusive and well-informed, with any future decision guided by evidence, wide consultation, and what is in the best interest of badminton worldwide. That's why it is necessary to test such innovations in live tournament settings and it is great that we have the endorsement and backing from our Member in India and the city of Guwahati who share the same vision as us.'
Egypt Today
16-04-2025
- Sport
- Egypt Today
Egypt Selected to Host Inaugural IFAF African Flag Football Championships
PARIS — April 16, 2025 — The International Federation of American Football (IFAF) is delighted to announce Egypt as the host nation for the inaugural 2025 IFAF African Flag Football Championships – AFRICA FLAG 2025. AFRICA FLAG 2025 will take place from June 20-21 in Cairo, Egypt, welcoming elite men's and women's national teams from across Africa for the first time at an IFAF Continental Championships. As participation in flag football continues to grow rapidly throughout the continent, this inaugural event offers a pathway to qualification for the 2026 IFAF Flag Football World Championships and represents a significant milestone on the journey towards flag football's historic Olympic debut at the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028. "With the announcement of the first ever IFAF Continental Championships in Africa, we are taking another step in the global development of our sport,' said IFAF President Pierre Trochet. 'Looking ahead to flag football's historic Olympic debut at LA28, our Continental Championships provide a fantastic platform to further accelerate the sport's regional growth at grassroots and elite levels. Egypt will be a great host, and we are certain AFRICA FLAG 2025 will play its part in inspiring new athletes and fans across a continent that has already produced a rich heritage of American football talent.' Hosted in partnership with the National Football League and Egyptian Federation of American Football (EFAF), various youth football development events will take place in Cairo in conjunction with the upcoming Championships — expanding the league's NFL Africa program to Egypt for the first time, creating more opportunities for young athletes from across the continent to play American football. In collaboration with IFAF and EFAF, U12 teams of boys and girls from Egypt, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria will compete in a multi-day NFL Flag Continental Championship, facing off in the championship game on June 23. NFL Flag is the official flag football program of the NFL — working to bring the non-contact version of American football to young athletes worldwide. The NFL will also host a football talent identification event with prospects from across Africa. Athletes will showcase their skills and abilities with the potential to advance on through the NFL Academy Europe-Africa program in Loughborough, U.K. or the International Player Pathway (IPP) program — two core pillars of the NFL's global football development initiatives. A number of current NFL players will join these events in Egypt, including New York Giants' Bobby Okereke (Nigeria), Minnesota Vikings' Brian Asamoah II (Ghana) and NFL free agent Dieter Eiselen (South Africa). Okereke, Asamoah II and Eiselen are supporting football operations for national federations in the lead up to and during the Championships, as well as NFL Africa's youth football programming. 'I'm excited and inspired to lead the NFL's efforts in Africa and to again expand our programming to a fifth country: Egypt — an innovative market for sport, with incredible talent,' said two-time Super Bowl Champion and NFL Africa Lead Osi Umenyiora. 'Back-to-back days of NFL Africa events alongside the IFAF Continental Championships in Egypt helps showcase the aspirational pathways for talented young athletes across the continent, as we look ahead together to flag football in the LA Olympic Games in 2028. It will be a great weekend of football, and one that will create a powerful legacy as we introduce more and more young athletes to our game.' AFRICA FLAG 2025 will reinforce the acceleration of flag football's growth across the continent. At the record-breaking 2024 IFAF Flag Football World Championships, Cameroon made history as the first African nation to compete on the global stage. Since 2023 participation in flag football has surged with Egypt and Nigeria seeing increases of 149% and 85%, respectively. In Nigeria, the national federation's outreach program has already engaged more than 13,000 young people, highlighting the sport's expanding reach and appeal. IFAF and the NFL are working hand-in-hand to develop and grow flag football across the continent, collaborating to create meaningful educational pathways for coaches and officials delivering flag across Africa. This commitment was reaffirmed at the recent three-day flag football coach education and officiating clinic in Ghana (April 11-13). The clinic welcomed new and experienced coaches and officials from 10 African countries — Cameroon, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Tunisia and Uganda — enabling further long-term engagement and participation in the sport in the region. As part of the NFL Africa program, the league has also undertaken NFL Flag development, talent identification camps and fan events across Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria since 2022. 'We are extremely proud to be hosting the first ever AFRICA FLAG 2025 in Cairo and to be writing Egypt into flag football's history books,' said EFAF Founder Ali Rafeek. 'Hosting this tournament allows us to put a spotlight on our talented athletes and to show the next generation what's possible in this sport — whether you're picking up a football for the first time or dreaming of the Olympics.' 'AFRICA FLAG 2025 is a huge moment for the continued growth of flag football across our continent,' said Egyptian Women's National Team Quarterback Amira Nader. 'It's an opportunity to showcase the incredible talent and passion rising throughout Africa and take a meaningful step towards making history at LA28. As the first-ever Continental Championships, this event will inspire the next generation to pick up a football and believe anything is possible.' IFAF continues to reinforce structured and competitive pathways for flag football, with the Continental Championships as an important stepping stone in the journey towards the 2026 IFAF Flag Football World Championships. The record-breaking 2024 edition of the IFAF Flag Football World Championships was the culmination of IFAF's biggest-ever international cycle of flag football competition and brought together elite athletes representing 31 nations from five continents at the most competitive and thrilling tournament to date. Flag football is played by 20 million athletes in more than 100 countries, and with an ever-expanding African presence, these events will serve as key milestones on the road to LA28. Details regarding AFRICA FLAG 2025's participating nations as well as the 2025 Continental Championships for other regions will be announced in the coming weeks, offering teams from around the world more opportunities to compete and prepare for the journey toward LA28. For more details on the Championships, visit the IFAF website or follow us on social media. For more information on NFL Flag, the official flag football program of the NFL, visit here. For the latest NFL Africa activity, follow @nflafrica on Instagram and X.
The Guardian
14-02-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
‘Bloody fingers with pink nails': how Sasha DiGiulian broke climbing's glass ceiling
In August 2013, Sasha DiGiulian traveled to the Dolomites to attempt Bellavista, a dream years in the making. After two weeks of working on the crux pitches, she climbed the entire route in a single push, becoming the first woman to climb a 5.14b big wall, breaking a major barrier in the sport. Then a sport climber, DiGiulian was incredibly strong on single-pitch routes, but unaccustomed to the complexity of big walls. 'I had climbed 5.14d, so I thought the 5.14b pitches wouldn't be so hard, but I learned how much the logistics, weather, and fatigue add up,' she says. Big wall climbing forced DiGiulian to embrace a greater sense of adventure and combine multiple skills, which became her new obsession. 'I love long days on the wall, working on a project, being away from the chaos of the rest of life,' DiGiulian says. 'It's all-encompassing.' However, breaking the barrier came with its own set of challenges. Despite leading all of the hard pitches of Bellavista, online trolls claimed that her climbing partner, Edu Marin, had led her up the route. 'Every time I do a project with a guy, people assume my partner leads the hard pitches, even if there is photo or video evidence otherwise,' DiGiulian says. 'It's really aggravating.' Fortunately DiGiulian had bonafides to back it up. After an undefeated run as a competition climber, winning four PanAmerican titles, three National titles, and Female Overall World Championships title in 2011, she transitioned to sport climbing, then to big walls. She has more than 30 female first ascents and 12 first ascents, most recently leading an all-women team up a 2,000-foot limestone wall in Spain dubbed 'the hardest multi-pitch route ever climbed by an all-female team.'After each groundbreaking climb, a steady stream of harassment would follow. In 2018 DiGiulian shared her experience being bullied in an Instagram post that quickly went viral. 'It had been building for a long time, away from the public eye,' recounts DiGiulian. 'I had tried to resolve it in other ways, but nothing worked. I'm glad that I said something.' The post became a watershed moment, catalyzing a much larger conversation about sexism in climbing. DiGiulian believes a lot of the skepticism comes from being an outsider. 'I don't look or act like a stereotypical climber. I'm not a dirtbag eating cans of tuna; I had blood fingers with pink nails.' DiGiulian says. 'I'm a kid from the big city with feminine traits, which led people to not believing my story.' Growing up in New York City, DiGiulian started climbing when she was just six years old at her brother's birthday party. At 12, she won her first Continental Championships and soon after signed her first sponsor, MadRock. After graduating high school she won her first World Champs, then deferred her acceptance to Columbia University to focus on climbing. Months later she sent Pure Imagination, an iconic route in the Red River Gorge, on just her sixth try. At the time it was rated 5.14d, making her the first North American woman to climb the grade. The news made headlines around the world and landed her a guest appearance on Oprah. 'I've been in the spotlight since I was a teenager,' DiGiulian says. 'Over my career, I opened doors and got bloody going through them, but hopefully that helps female climbers have less friction. That would make me happy, for others to have less criticism.' When she was young, DiGiulian said the pressure would get to her more. 'I was dealing with an eating disorder, so being fat shamed was really hard on my mental health,' she says. 'There are people who count my entire career as a fraud or fake. We say haters gonna hate, but I'm not bulletproof.' In 2020 DiGiulian's career was derailed by hip dysplasia. 'My femur would pop out of its socket while training and an MRI showed that my cartilage was degenerating,' she says. The injury resulted in five surgeries, which took two years to recover from. 'I was flattened, literally and figuratively. I had to find a purpose outside of climbing.' She used the time to write a book and start a company, while working on her mental health. 'Therapy helped a lot. I turned over a lot of stones and found ways to stop listening to the haters. I've always felt like an outsider and the break helped me recognize that I don't need to be an insider to feel grounded.' Her company, Send Bars, focuses on issues she cares about most. 'Climbing is a sport with a lot of eating disorders and lack of nutrition. It can be unhealthy at times, but food can be empowering if we allow it to. That's the goal of the company.' The confidence gained away from climbing helped when she returned to the sport. 'After most female sends, the routes are immediately downgraded by male climbers,' DiGiulian says, 'but I've learned to just be proud of what I've done and confident in who I am.' Downgrading is assigning a lower grade to a route after it's established, ostensibly due to factors like the rock changing over time. However, it is often used as a subtle way to demote the accomplishments of female climbers, one of the ways that sexism shows up in climbing. Despite her public appeal for more respect in the climbing community, DiGiulian still receives malicious messages and negative comments about her weight, makeup, clothes and relationships. 'I get a lot of hate for being a sellout,' says DiGiulian, 'but now see that a lot of it comes from jealousy.' Over time, she has learned to use negativity as fuel. 'I know I'm challenging the hierarchy of climbing. Bro culture is threatened by my success, so they try to take me down. I try to focus on the positive impact I've had, like helping the sport go mainstream, creating more opportunities for everyone.' DiGiulian hopes to be remembered for establishing a new baseline for female climbers, including how they are recognized, treated and paid. For example, she was the North American climber to be sponsored by Adidas, who now has dozens of comp, sport, and big wall climbers on their roster. 'I'm never going to be the strongest climber ever, but I'm proud that my success has helped create an easier path for young climbers growing into the industry.' More than anything, DiGiulian recognizes the privilege of being a professional climber. 'We're role models as much as we're rock climbers. Going public about bullying was hard for me, but it catalyzed a massive shift towards respect and equity. It created more accountability for the actions of everyone, and that's the golden rule in society.'
