Badminton Association of India has taken important decisions in the BAI Executive Committee Meeting and Annual General Meeting held at Hotel Grand, New Delhi on 31st May, 2025, and a notification has been introduced on 05-06-2025. In this meeting, BAI has taken a few decisions about participation in international tournaments with specific criteria, increasing prize money in all categories, and reopening a VARS window after
No. 12-4/2025-SP-III
Government of India
Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports
Department of Sports
DRAFT CODE ABOUT AGE FRAUD PLAYERS
In the meeting, BAI has decided to introduce the Voluntary Age Rectification Scheme (VARS) for those who have an existing BAI ID but have an incorrect Date of Birth and/or discrepancy in their Date of Birth / Age. This scheme will be open for a period of two (2) months with immediate effect. The applications are to be submitted with a fee of Rs. 5000/- (Rupees Five Thousand Only) to be paid to BAI. A detailed circular will follow.
Sir, already more than 10 days have passed after the annual meeting and still no circular has been introduced by BAI to players or State Badminton Associations. So the players who want to play in their correct age category after applying in the new VARS Scheme are still in doubt whether they can participate in the upcoming Under-15 & Under-17 category. Some of them might have already sent their entries in manipulated age categories. Sir, the new calendar of All India Ranking for Under-15 & Under-17 will start from the Goa Ranking. We have the following queries about the new VARS Scheme:
1. Why before the Goa tournament has BAI not published the circular for the new VARS Scheme?
2. Players who are playing in manipulated age categories after this notification, and if they are caught and proven to be age frauds, will they also be allowed to take benefits of this new VARS Scheme?
3. If yes, then why is BAI delaying the introduction of the new circular of the VARS Scheme? This might affect the morale of actual age players because there are good chances that in these 2 rankings, age fraud players can easily beat younger kids.
4. If BAI will introduce this window for 2 months, and if any player submits his original documents within 1-2 days of publishing the circular, will he have to wait for 2 months or be allowed to play immediately in any recognized tournament in his age category? Because he knows very well that after giving details, if anything is found incorrect in the documents during cross-checking, he will be terminated for at least 5 years or may also face an FIR.
5. The Yonex-Sunrise All India Sub Junior (U-15 & U-17) Ranking Badminton Tournament 2025 in Goa is a major selection event for the National Center of Excellence (NCE) in Guwahati. Players selected from this tournament will be considered for the NCE, which is part of the BAI program. The tournament, held from May 15-23, 2025, in Goa, provides a pathway for players to be recommended by the NCE coaches for selection. If any player who is age fraud wins this tournament or achieves a position to get selected for NCE because of the delayed circular of VARS, and after selection those players apply for VARS, will they get the benefit? If yes, it will be quite unfair to the right-age players and this will be the biggest failure of the VARS Scheme.
Sir, please clarify all doubts about this new VARS Scheme and please introduce this new VARS Scheme before the Goa and Bangalore All India Sub Junior Under-15 & Under-17 Ranking Tournaments if BAI really wants a fair tournament and selection through this tournament.
