LAHORE: The World Badminton Federation (BWF), applying its constitutional clause 15.7, has suspended Pakistan’s membership over the ongoing controversy of parallel bodies in the Pakistan Badminton Federation (PBF).

According to a letter signed by BWF Chief Operating Officer (COO) Thomas Lund, the suspension means Pakistan will not be able to send any player to international circuit for contesting any event.

It will also not be allowed to hold the Pakistan International Challenge Badminton, scheduled for next month, or any other international activity till the restoration of the membership.

In his letter, which was obtained by Dawn, the BWF says: “According to clause 15.11 of the BWF constitution the suspension of the PWF means the following:

“The PBF will not able to enter players into international tournaments.

Sanction to the tournament; Pakistan International Challenge scheduled on May 11-15, 2011, is hereby withdrawn; the BWF will inform member associations that the tournament will not be held as BWF sanctioned tournament; the PBF will not able to attend the annual general meeting.”

While Aamir Hayat Khan Rokhri is heading one group the other one is being led by former federal food minister Nazar Mohammad Gondal.

The COO further said that the PBF had over a number of months had a dispute running whereby two groups were claiming the leadership of the federation.

“In this connection the BWF has requested each party to provide the BWF with documentation on how the PBF under their particular leadership continues to meet the two key conditions of membership of the BWF,” he said

The COO also said that the PBF’s affiliation will only be restored if the BWF council would be satisfied beyond doubt that the applicant was or would be formally recognised by the overall governing body of sport (POA) in the country.

“According to BWF constitution’s clause 15.1 it is a requirement that members continue to fulfil the conditions of members and clause 15.1 states: in order to retain its membership status, a member shall at all times fulfil all the conditions necessary for admission and should advise BWF of any material change in its status promptly,” the COO said in his letter written on April 1 addressed to Aamir Hayat Rokhri.

He said in connection with verification of the above requirements BWF had, in accordance with normal procedures, asked for letters of documentation from both the groups in Pakistan as well from the National Olympic Committee.

“Neither party have, however, been able to provide the information to satisfy the above request from the BWF and based on the above the BWF council has considered the facts of this case and a decision has been taken that the PBF is suspended under clause 15.7 of the constitution until it is able to satisfy the conditions of clauses 10.2 and 10.3,” the COO said in his letter.

However, BWF hoped that dispute would soon be resolved and that PBF would soonest possible again be able to meet the membership requirements.

In fact, a political wrangling between the POA and the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) is causing hardship and favouring those who wanted to establish a parallel body.

As federal food minister Nazar Mohammad Gondal had the power to influence the PSB to hold his own elections. But no representative of the POA held those elections. Similarly, Aamir held his own elections in Lahore, where a POA’s representative came as observer, but no PSB’s man attended that meeting.