BWF announces revamped 2020 calendar; India Open to be held in December

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) on Friday announced a revamped tournament calendar for the remainder of 2020 following disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Olympic-qualifying India Open badminton tournament will now be held from December 8-13 in Delhi.

The BWF World Tour is scheduled for a return with the Taipei Open 2020 (Super 300) from September 1-6.

The New Zealand Open 2020 (Super 300), Indonesia Open 2020 (Super 1000), Malaysia Open 2020 (Super 750), Thailand Open 2020 (Super 500), and India Open 2020 (Super 500) have all found new homes on the calendar, the BWF said in a release.

The season-ending BWF World Tour Finals in Guangzhou, China has been pushed back a week and will now conclude on December 20, 2020. The BWF Thomas & Uber Cup Finals 2020 in Aarhus, Denmark will take place from October 3-11, 2020.

The BWF has suspended German Open 2020, Swiss Open 2020, 2020 European Championships and Australian Open 2020.

The badminton's governing body aims to resume the sport with Hyderabad Open 2020 from August 11-16.

"It has been a difficult task to plan for badminton's return. It is a condensed calendar but we are confident this provides the framework to allow us to start again when it is safe and logistically possible," BWF Secretary General Thomas Lund said.

"The health, safety and wellbeing of all athletes, their entourage, officials and the greater badminton community remain our number one priority. At this point in time, it is difficult to predict when international movement and entry restrictions will be lifted by individual countries and territories, but we will not resume competition unless it is absolutely clear that is safe to do so," he added.

( With inputs from ANI )