Badminton enthusiasts have  appealed to the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) to regularly stage competitions to keep the players busy and in the process, sharpen their competitive edge.

Some of the players in separate interviews with Tidesports  on telephone, complained that they were getting discouraged by the lack of local competitions.

Ifraimu Jinkam, the country’s number one ranked player, said that the lack of competition was not doing the sport any good and that it was dampening the enthusiasm of the players.

“Players improve when they train and put into practice all the moves they have learnt in competitions; this is lacking at the moment,’’she said.

He urged the federation to reach out to multinational companies to come to the aid of badminton by partnering with the body to sponsor some of its programmes.

By so doing, Jinkam said budding talents from the grassroots would be discovered.

“If we can rely little on government allocation and look for an alternative by getting the help of corporate bodies, it would help the sport,’’ Jinkam said.

Eneojo Abah, the number two ranked player, complained that no badminton championships had been staged in Abuja since the year began.

“We have not had the Abuja Badminton Open Championships this year, and this is not good enough for players.

“We usually go for international championships, which is good, because we earn points to increase our ranking at the international scene. But what about our local competitions?

“When we have national competitions, talents are discovered, upcoming players have the opportunity of playing with seniors and they will know their strength and weaknesses.

“I want to use this medium to appeal to BFN that they should organise local competitions for us, to enable us maintain our form,’’he said.

Abah stressed that long term sponsors should be wooed to the game to maintain the visibility level of the sport among youths.

Meanwhile Abuja based Mohammed Bako told Tidesports that the lack of national competitions was gradually taking its toll on players and coaches, adding that some states had had to organise competitions on their own.

“The development of badminton is at zero level as far as I am concerned. The states are trying on their own but at the federal level, it is not enough.

“We urge the BFN to organise national and inter-state championships to boost the profile of developing players in the country, ‘’ he said.