Fury over plan to move badminton to Wembley

COST-cutting plans to move the Olympic badminton event to Wembley Arena have been plunged into doubt following bitter opposition from the sport's governing body, the Standard can reveal.

Proposals have met with resistance because of the lengthy travel times competitors may face commuting between the Olympic village in Stratford and the arena in north-west London.

Objections from the Badminton World Federation (BWF) are a major obstacle for 2012 chiefs as they seek to relocate the badminton event at a meeting of the Olympic board this week.

Last month the board scrapped a planned £40 million temporary arena - to host both badminton and rhythmic gymnastics - in Greenwich on the advice of a report into venues from accountants KPMG.

The two sports are coupled because they have similar requirements - air-tight venues with high ceilings. Wembley and ExCel in the Royal Docks have been the main alternatives.

But talks have focused on the 7,000-capacity Wembley venue, which will host the 2011 world badminton championships.

Stuart Borrie, the BWF's secretary general, told the Standard: "Wembley is right on the opposite side to where we are currently located. If you get athletes who are starting at 9am, and they have to get up at 5am and be in a bus for an hour, they are not going to be very happy."