Badminton World Federation Shelves Sexy Outfit Makeover; Does The Sport Need It?

The Badminton World Federation has reversed a decision making it mandatory for female shuttlers to wear skirts in an effort to raise the profile of the sport.  China--that leader in human rights-- led the world-wide outcry, along with other major badminton countries, calling the original ruling sexist and unfair and sparked the BWF to bow to the howls of protests.

The sport has been an Olympic event since 1992 and is one of the most popular activities in the world besides men looking at sexy women.

The controversial ruling which proposed making it compulsory for women to wear only skirts instead of shorts or tights was initiated to get more people (i.e. men)  interested in watching the sport.  Look at what the hotties from  the Danish and Swedish curling teams did for that sport in the last Winter Games.

It could be that the marketing men for the BWF weren't thinking with shuttlecocks in mind.

The BWF (shouldn't it be called the World Badminton Federation anyway) Deputy-President, American Paisan Rangsikitpho, explained the importance of forcing girls as young as thirteen wear skirts to draw more leering eyes to the sport.

"We just want women to look feminine and have a nice presentation so they'll be more popular," he said.

Old Rangy might be on to something.  I always wondered why men watched women's volleyball.  Was it for the action or when the six-foot spikers wipe the sand from their skimpy bikini bottoms.  I figured it out when I reached puberty.   

Even Danica Patrick has resorted to peeling off her fireproof jumpsuit and do scantily-clad photo shoots and suggestive ads for GoDaddy.com: even if it's just to remind men that she is all women.  That's right after she is done talking smack and shoving the male drivers in the racing pits.

Venus and Serena Williams have no qualms about leaving little to the imagination by showing a little leg.  Think the stodgy old folks at Wimbleton don't turn the other cheek when the sisters wow us with their get-ups and ratings?  Women's tennis seems sort of dull without the Williams' risque fashion style and 100 mph serves.

And don't forget the Women's Lingerie Football League.  Slap some Victoria's Secret satins on badminton champions Shixian Wang and Lee Chong Lei and watch young men flock to the BWF faster than the "Hangover 2" on opening weekend. 

Heck, start the Anthony Weiner Badminton Cup.  Let's even out the badminton playing field by throwing some BVD's on the men and bring in those 50 year-old cougars.  Oh wait, isn't that already the core audience.

It's not surprising that China led the protests against the sexy dress code.  The top 300 or so players in the world are Chinese and why would those leftover Communist officials want to change the retro Mao-issue uniforms from the good old days.  Nothing says conformity like unflattering red bloomers.

China okay, but the the tops badminton countries in the world--Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and India--should get their Lady Gaga on.  Denmark is one of the fastest growing competitive badminton countries on the planet.  Remember what your girls did for curling?

Saina Hehwal the cute, third-ranked 21 year-old badminton title-holder from India is the Maria Sharapova of the sport--except she actually wins--and could be the face which takes badminton from Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte Arena to Cowboys Stadium.  Coming soon to E! TV--"Keeping Up With the Nehwals."

Think the WNBA would dare to try to impose the mandatory skirt rules in their league?