Kochi, July 5: The Indian Badminton Confederation does not believe in releasing a piece-meal schedule of events, according to former All-England champion and IBC president Prakash Padukone.Padukone, addressing the newly-formed Kerala Badminton Federation meeting, which is affiliated to the IBC, said he wanted to formulate a comprehensive programme for all badminton fraternity including players, coaches and umpires. ``There is no point in holding one tournament here, one tournament there and then going after sponsors,'' he clarified.Asked whether he considered the Badminton Association of India's announcement of some tournaments a desperate move, Prakash said, ``You can judge for yourselves. They could have done all these things in the past. Then the question of IBC would not have arisen at all. Now, there is no compromise from our side.''Prakash hinted that once the IBC calendar is out, the players registered with it will not be able to play in other events. ``Of course, all these will have to be decided by the Confederation,'' he added.Indian Badminton Players Welfare Association secretary U Vimalkumar, who was also present during the occasion, stressed that it would not be possible for the players to participate in both the circuits.``It will take a while for the IBC to finalise the calendar. BAI is already affiliated (to International Badminton Federation). We have already kept them (IBF) posted about our existence.They cannot take a hasty decision,'' explained Prakash, who confirmed IBC's first tournament would take off in September.Vimalkumar expected almost all the State associations to join IBC in ``the next three or four days''.MBA deny report ``The stand taken by the Maharashtra Badminton Association (MBA) to disaffiliate itself from the BAI has been unanimous and collective which we definitely would adhere to,'' informed S V Natu, honorary secretary MBA, here today.Natu was reacting to a report originating from Delhi which said that the ``MBA which was reported to have joined the IBC, has decided not to seek disaffiliation from the BAI, and asked for BAI's sanction for the Sushant Chipalkatti memorial junior tournament being organised in Pune.''Natu said that the report which said that he has conveyed this in a letter to BAI President VK Verma dated June 29 and given an assurance that MBA would like to extend co-operation to BAI and work cohesively, was mischievous and meant to harm MBA's image.The MBA's decision to support the newly-formed IBC recently was unanimously decided in its executive council meeting held at Pune on June 22 and is to be ratified at the special annual general body meeting to be held on July 20, Natu added.Clarifying on the misinterpreted report, he informed that MBA had sent a letter to BAI congratulating the newly-elected president VK Verma. The other contents of the letter were petty long-pending issues to be sorted out between BAI and MBA which included Rs 2 lakhs to be received from BAI given by ITC for conducting the Senior Nationals at Pune. ``The letter did not discuss the issue of MBA remaining in BAI's fold,'' Natu added.
