Badminton jumps the shark

News from the world of minority sports. The authorities for Badminton have back-tracked over their desire to insist that their (female) players wear skirts or "dresses". Apparently this was with the aim of "glamorising" the game.

Dear badminton authorities, whether your players wear skirts, dresses, Capri pants or bikinis, it's still badminton. It's still middle-class girls running around in a sports hall wearing squeaky trainers, while their male partner (if mixed doubles), an unexpectedly aggressive French teacher or local government official, tries to still his Inner Beast by hammering a feathery cork around the court. I believe men (and for that matter women) play the game in singles and doubles formats as well, but I daresay that's much the same except without the frustrated male partner. And if the women should be wearing skirts, what should the men be wearing? Village People outfits?

It's an interesting message to send. That they believe their sport needs "glamorising" suggests they don't think it's very good. Because Barcelona attracted a massive audience to their dissection of Man Utd yesterday, just by the simple process of turning up in baggy shorts and stripy shirts and being very good at a sport that is interesting. Sir Steve Redgrave never rowed, as far as I'm aware, in sequins. Paula Radcliffe never felt the urge to run in high heels. Basically, if your sport needs glamorising, it's not pandering to stereotypes you should be playing with. Maybe you should be wondering why, if you think it's boring, anybody else should find it interesting.  Even if the competitors are wearing skirts.