May 19, 2008	Monday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 13, 1429

JAKARTA, May 18: Malaysia’s Punch Gunalan has been ousted as deputy president of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) after a vote of no confidence, ending months of internal wrangling and tension.

The ouster follows a claim by BWF president Kang Young Joong, a Korean, that he was the victim of an attempted “coup d’etat” by Gunalan.

The 65-year-old’s more than two-decade reign with the world governing body ended at an annual general meeting on Saturday on the sidelines of the Thomas and Uber Cup team championships here.

Delegates voted, in a secret ballot, 142-38 in favour of the no-confidence motion brought by the Mongolia Badminton Association, BWF secretary general Stuart Borrie told AFP.

“The vote was taken and the decision went against Punch. He has been a significant figure in the sport but the members gave their wishes and it must be respected,” he said.

Mongolia said it was tabling the motion because Gunalan was “not at all interested in the welfare of the BWF but only interested in usurping the powers of the president,” the Malaysia Star newspaper reported.

It added that “the deputy president has and is using the council to show his personal dislike of the president.

And this was narrated in an email to the members on the president’s character.”

Gunalan failed to show up for the meeting, flying home to Kuala Lumpur on Friday after resigning as chief operating officer.—AFP