Jwala Gutta seeks High Court help to fight threat of life ban; BAI withdraws her name from Denmark Open

Under the threat of a life ban from the Badminton Association of India (BAI), Jwala Gutta is seeking legal help to salvage her career. India's leading doubles players, who has won a world championship bronze partnering Ashwini Ponappa, has challenged a life-ban imposed on her in the Delhi High Court on Wednesday.

 

In a late development on Wednesday night, the federation withdrew Jwala's entry from the Denmark Open Super Series. Reacting to which, Jwala tweeted, "Have no words...shocked...my entries withdrawn...without informing me...what kind of a system we r running...pls tell me..."

 

Last week, BAI's disciplinary committee had recommended a life-ban on Gutta as she had allegedly stopped her Delhi Smashers teammates from playing a match against Banga Beats in the recent Indian Badminton League.

While BAI demanded an 'unconditional apology and said she won't be considered for selection till a three-member committee gave its verdict on the matter, Jwala's father had said that she was being targeted. "Why should Jwala apologise? She has not done anything wrong," Kranti Gutta said, adding that sports ministry should take suo motto notice of the issue. (Read full report here)

Sports minister Jitendra Singh on Wednesday however said that he would look into the matter only if approached by the player. (Read full report here)

The news of the life-ban sent shockwaves in the badminton fraternity with several former players calling the recommendation harsh. "It is a very harsh decision. I think BAI could have dealt with it in a quieter way and not go to the press and defame her in this way," former national champion Arvind Bhat was quoted as saying. National chief coach Pullela Gopichand however has remained tight-lipped on the entire matter which has now taken a legal twist.