Major rift at top of governing body laid bare

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 18 (Reuters) An astonishing and unprecedented rift at the top of Badminton World Federation (BWF), the sport's governing body, was laid bare today.

President Dr Kang Young Joong accused his deputy Punch Gunalan of trying to usurp his position and said there had been serious talk the crisis could even lead to badminton being excluded from the Olympics after 2012.

In a statement read out by Dr Kang at the world championships, he said the BWF had spiralled downwards and its executive council had become the ''personal kingdom'' of a select few with the position of president ''reduced to a ceremonial role''.

''The few sane voices within the federation are stifled and suddenly the role of president has been usurped by the deputy president,'' he added.

''With the dubious sacking of the chief operating officer last month, the executive role has been usurped by the deputy president, completely against the tenets of the constitution.'' Dr Kang told reporters the BWF had become ''mired in darkness'' and saw himself as ''a candlelight''.

COUNCIL MEETING Earlier in the day he lost a vote of no confidence by 14-5 at a BWF council meeting. But it would need an AGM or EGM to unseat him.

''I would like to categorically confirm this is a coup d'etat attempt with the sole idea of diverting from the real issues of poor governance,'' said Dr Kang.

''Every time as the duly elected president of the BWF I attempt to put things right I have been accused of being power-crazy but in fact it is the others who are trying to hang on to power by manipulation of the will of others.'' Gunalan, a former player for Malaysia, was active in the transfer two years ago of the former federation headquarters from Cheltenham in England to Kuala Lumpur, one of badminton's strongholds in Asia.

But his role was questioned at the BWF's AGM in Glasgow in June and there has also been unease over the removal of the chief operating officer, who only joined in January.

Dr Kang said a local newspaper reported the Malaysian sports minister had asked Gunalan to resign.

''This is very unfortunate but my personal belief is the call by the sports minister was timely and necessary to safeguard not only the good name of Malaysia but also the BWF,'' said the federation president.

Gunalan will hold a news conference on Sunday.

A BWF statement said the executive council had undergone ''detailed discussions about the issues surrounding the governance and focus of the organisation''.

Reuters BT DB2001