'Domestic badminton season to begin next month after 20-month break'

New Delhi: The domestic badminton season is set to begin next month after a 20-month hiatus with back-to-back senior ranking Level 3 tournaments, the national federation announced on Wednesday.

The season will start in Chennai with the first tournament from December 16 to 22 followed by another Level 3 tournament in Hyderabad from December 24 to 30.

Both the events carry a prize money of Rs 10 lakh each, and are a part of the Badminton Association of India's (BAI) new domestic format, which was approved in 2019 but couldn't be implemented due to COVID-19

pandemic.

The last date of entry for the Chennai event is November 24, while for Hyderabad it is December 1.

BAI secretary Ajay K Singhania said the domestic season will begin maintaining COVID-related protocols and all players will have to carry RTPCR negative reports.

"COVID disrupted not just sports but life in general, but we are very pleased to announce the resumption of the Indian domestic badminton season. We have some world-class players and all the players getting back on court is great news for the entire badminton fraternity," he said in a statement.

The senior ranking tournaments are classified into three levels -- Level 3, BAI Series Badminton Tournament (6 in a year); Level 2, BAI Super Series Badminton Tournament (4 in a year); Level 1, BAI Premier Super Series Badminton Tournament

(2 in a year).