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English badminton chiefs today defended their decision to withdraw from the world championships in India despite being assured by police that their team was safe.
Team bosses said they pulled out of the international tournament in Hyderabad because they feared for the squad's safety amid inadequate security. The team flew back to Britain to answer questions today after being criticised by their Scottish counterparts for "overreacting".
Adrian Christy, chief executive of Badminton England, who said he was disappointed with the Scottish criticism, added: "I don't think we overreacted. We went to Hyderabad expecting the appropriate security considering the recent attacks in the country. We were not particularly impressed with the security both on our arrival and in the arena."
Team managers took their decision despite being told not to take seriously a newspaper report that the tournament was being targeted by Muslim extremist group Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based organisation fighting Indian control in Kashmir.
Mr Christy said: "We talked among ourselves about security and met the Badminton World Federation and the police superintendent for the province. (The police) were adamant the potential was low and the report was not correct."
Team officials said there were no checks on entry to the arena and that security was poor at the team hotel.
Olympic silver medallist Nathan Robertson added: "It was not a safe place for staff or players. We were on the team bus going along back roads and there were no armed guards."
