April 8 (Reuters) - The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has approved the use of synthetic feather shuttlecocks at selected grade three and junior international tournaments, as part of its long‑term strategy to assess their potential use at the elite level.
The decision comes amid reports of the rising cost of shuttlecocks made from duck or goose feathers, driven by shortages of raw materials and the sport’s growing global popularity.
BWF secretary‑general Thomas Lund downplayed the severity of the situation last year, but acknowledged that manufacturers needed to address supply‑chain challenges and speed up the development of synthetic alternatives.
The BWF said it would evaluate the quality and performance of synthetic shuttlecocks in higher‑level competitive environments, with particular emphasis on ensuring that flight and playing characteristics meet existing competition standards.
“The trial will include the collection of manufacturer performance data, alongside feedback from players, technical officials, and event organisers,” it said on Wednesday.
(Reporting by Karan Prashant Saxena in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)
