Team France pulls out 8-time national champion

Brice Leverdez, who recently won his 8th straight national title was removed from Team France just hours before the semi-final encounter with Germany at the 2015 European Mixed Team Championships in Belgium.  The website of the Fédération Française de Badminton (FFBad) ran an announcement yesterday that National Technical Director Philippe Limouzin had decided to take Leverdez off the team for ‘inappropriate and insulting behaviour’, citing regulation 4.17 of the BWF Players’ Code of Conduct, which deals with unsportsmanlike conduct, or ‘conducting oneself in a manner that is clearly abusive or detrimental to the sport’.

Leverdez was a key figure in the dispute between players and the federation over plans to require players to participate in the upcoming European Games in Baku, which will not yield ranking points toward Olympic qualification.  Lucas Corvée, who lost in the final of the French Nationals early this month, played men’s singles in Leverdez’s stead and helped France get off to a 2-0 lead in their tie against Germany, which then won all three doubles matches to advance to the semi-finals.  The FFBad has also begun discplinary procedures against Leverdez.

Photo: Yohan Nonotte for Badmintonphoto