KUALA LUMPUR – The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) has signalled that it would have no choice but to follow any move by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) to introduce synthetic shuttlecocks at selected tournaments, citing a global shortage of duck and goose feathers.
Speaking to Scoop, BAM deputy president Datuk V. Subramaniam said the association has not received any official directive yet, but added that if the world body finalises the move, Malaysian affiliates would be compelled to comply.
“This is not about cost. Cost is secondary. Firstly, you must see whether there is availability of shuttlecocks. If the shortage is serious, the world body has to look into other options,” he said.
“One of the options may be synthetic shuttlecocks. We do not know yet. But if it is unavoidable, nobody can go against it.”
Subramaniam traced the issue back to China’s declining duck and goose output, which has sharply reduced the supply of feathers required for high-quality shuttlecocks.
He noted that one shuttlecock requires 16 carefully selected feathers, typically sourced from the wings of ducks or geese.
“The shortage is real, and prices have gone up,” he said.
“If you need, say, 5,000 shuttlecocks a day, but the market only has 300, what do you do? The world body has to make plans, and affiliates will follow.”
While BAM has not yet discussed formally venturing into synthetic shuttlecocks, Subramaniam said the topic is likely to come up at BWF’s annual general meeting this month.
Any decision will be based on research, performance data, and discussion among member countries.
“This must be a properly justified decision. Papers must be presented, and if it is warranted, every member will follow. Nobody can oppose a justified solution when there is no alternative,” he added.
BAM’s response follows BWF’s confirmation that synthetic shuttlecocks will be trialled at lower-grade competitions, including junior international tournaments, due to skyrocketing raw material costs and declining availability of duck and goose feathers in China.
“This initiative forms part of BWF’s long-term approach to evaluating synthetic feather shuttlecocks for potential use at the elite level,” the BWF said in a statement.
“The trial will include the collection of manufacturer performance data, alongside feedback from players, technical officials, and event organisers.
This information will support BWF’s ongoing assessment and inform future decisions regarding the potential use of synthetic shuttlecocks at top-tier tournaments.” – April 9, 2026