WHERE now for Badmintonscotland?

The sport has never ranked higher internationally and, on the face of it, could not be better placed for a home Commonwealth Games. At the Sudirman Cup in Kuala Lumpur, they beat four higher-ranked nations, heading Group 2 and bringing the prospect of promotion to the top echelon for the first time.

This would have been automatic in the past but, under current rules, it will depend on Scotland's ranking come the next World Team Championships, in two years' time. At least as pertinently, it will be influenced by the availability of funding to build on this performance.

Sportscotland is due to announce details in the next month, but the Sudirman campaign surely pleads the most eloquent case for sympathetic treatment. It should also compel Commonwealth Games Scotland to reconsider some unfair and inequitable treatment.

Scotland arrived in Malaysia ranked 27th and bottom of their group, yet finished 13th, beating Russia (world No.11), USA (17), Sweden (19), and Netherlands (15) – four superior nations in six days.