WELSH Olympian Richard Vaughan is being given a clear message by the badminton authorities as he chases a Beijing dream.

Vaughan is close to becoming the first player in world badminton to qualify and play in three Olympic games.

But the message is: “Do it yourself.”

And the reason for the snub, he believes, has come because he is Welsh and not English.

Vaughan is battling with England’s Andrew Smith for Britain’s lone badminton singles place in Beijing – and he’s doing it with no official backing.

The hard-hitting Llanbradach-born player and his family spent £20,000 to maintain and improve Vaughan’s world ranking – and he currently stands at 34.

Vaughan is hugely grateful to the Sports Council for Wales, which has supported him financially over previous years, but is frustrated that nobody is helping his Beijing bid.

“The SCW has been fantastic in the past and I thank it sincerely for that, but somebody please show me how I can receive some help now,” said the 29-year-old.

“Wales say I should be on United Kingdom funding. UK say Wales should fund me. I seem to be fighting a losing battle and it’s hard to know why when you look at the logic of the situation.

“Especially compared to the top English boys, who are of a similar age, and below me on the rankings.

“The simple answer is because I am Welsh.”

England’s Smith and Vaughan are both among the world’s top 35 players.

Three other Englishmen, Rajiv Ouseph, Carl Baxter and Nicholas Kidd, are much lower in the rankings.

There are no badminton singles players receiving UK funding for the Olympics, but Smith, Ouseph, Baxter and Kidd are all backed with cash from England.

Wales are not able to offer Vaughan any help at all.

The Beijing Olympics in China are held this August and Vaughan, who has reached the last 16 in the last two summer games, says: “I’m still on course and I’ve been the highest ranked British player in the past few months.

“It is only between the top English players and myself. The others are too far behind. The problem is that this English player along with four others have open budgets of funding. I have to do everything from a shoestring budget.

“I simply cannot play all the tournaments I need to play.”

This month, Vaughan is playing the Malaysian and Korean Super Series tournament for the world’s top 28 players. During February he will compete in the Brazilian Open, German Open and World men’s team championships for Wales.

The All England and Swiss Super Series events are in March plus the Polish Open.

They are followed in April by tournaments in Finland and Canada plus the European Championships were he is seeded number five.

That will bring an end to the Olympic qualifying period – and on April 30 the British player, almost certainly Vaughan or Smith, will compete in Beijing.

Vaughan, though, is having to do it alone.

“During 2007 results were good and I’ve made progress after an illness,” said Vaughan. “I regained my GB number one spot and moved my world ranking to the highest since 2002 (currently 34, highest was seven). It would mean such a lot if I qualified for my third Olympics. That would be a first for any badminton player in the world.

“I will be the only singles player in Beijing 2008 and would not have received one penny in preparation.

“I am focused on Olympic selection and a European medal in April.”

And Vaughan, a previous European bronze medallist, is on course to achieve those aims despite a lack of backing.

Copyright © 2008 ICWales.