Sunday, 13 December 2020
Leave the geese alone, time for environmental friendly shuttlecocks
SUNGAI BULOH, Dec 13 - Kumpulan Perangsang Selangor Berhad (Perangsang Selangor) has started another sustainable development and environmental friendly initiative, which is to promote the use of synthetic feather shuttlecocks in badminton.
Perangsang Selangor associate director (Investor Relations and Strategic Communication), Mohd Fauzi Mohd Ghazali today urged tournament organisers and players to use synthetic feather shuttlecocks, which are more durable and cheaper, to reduce the animal cruelty.
“To produce one dozen shuttlecocks, feathers from 48 geese were plucked from one side of the animal while it is still alive. So today we have started this to promote artificial shuttlecocks.
“These shuttlecocks are about 40-50 per cent cheaper and can last longer. This is an opportunity for all involved in badminton to do their part for sustainable environment and the fight against animal cruelty,” he told Bernama after the launch of the campaign here, today.
About 50 badminton enthusiasts participated in the campaign both physically and virtually, including the two national deaf shuttlers Boon Wei Ying and Muhammad Shafiq Hassan, as well as top national women’s doubles player Chow Mei Kuan, who streamed from Academy Badminton Malaysia.
Mohd Fauzi said the two deaf players, sponsored by Perangsang Selangor will start using synthetic feather shuttlecocks for training beginning next year.
He said the group was also involved in various environmental cause including waste management, water management, energy efficiency, beach cleaning and tree planting.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Shafiq, who tried the artificial shuttlecocks, through an interpreter said it weighs more, highly durable and good for environmental cause compared to regular shuttlecocks.
In January, Badminton World Federation (BWF) approved the use of synthetic feather shuttlecocks in tournaments from early 2021 after it was tested at three International Challenges in 2018, but since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the sports world hard, it was uncertain if the world body will uphold the decision.
About 24 shuttlecocks made from goose and duck feathers are used during a single tournament match, which BWF claimed can be reduced by 25 per cent using the synthetic version.
