Injured European and ex-world champion Peter Rasmussen of Denmark has pulled out of the All England badminton tournament which starts in Birmingham on Wednesday.

The number seven seed, who has a history of injury since winning his world crown in Glasgow in 1997, was troubled again by his left ankle at the Danish national championships last weekend.

Danish team manager Steen Pedersen said: "It has been niggling him for the last month and when it bothers him it affects his confidence. He tried it but then decided it was best not to risk making it worse. He hopes to be okay for the Swiss Open next week."

Rasmussen is the second big name missing from the five-day tournament, held a month earlier than usual this year to dovetail with the world championships being staged at the same National Indoor Arena venue in May.

India's Pullela Gopichand, All England winner in 2001, is also out, still recovering from keyhole surgery on his right knee. But the event's strength in depth is starkly illustrated by the fact that world champion H.Hendrawan of Indonesia is obliged to take part in Tuesday's qualifying event ahead of round one.

Hendrawan's form has dipped alarmingly since his world title triumph in Seville two years ago, reaching just one quarter-final in over 18 months.

All England champion Chen Hong of China faces a tricky path if he is to reach Sunday's final.

COMEBACK TRAIL

The 23-year-old top seed is set to meet newly-crowned Malaysian national champion Lee Chong Wei in the second round before a last 16 clash with either compatriot and ninth seed Bao Chunlai, or 1999 All England champion Peter Gade.

The Dane, one of the few Europeans to persistently challenge Chinese and Indonesian dominance, is on the comeback trail after a prolonged absence with a knee cartilage injury.

Should Chen overcome these hurdles, he is drawn to meet the fifth seeded Indonesian Taufik Hidayat, a big talent with the best possibly still to come.

Number two seed, China Open champion Wong Choong Hann, has a rather easier journey to the semi-finals, but then faces a likely meeting with compatriot Xia Xuanze, the 2000 All England champion.

In the women's singles, China also hold a strong hand, headed by 22-year-old world champion Gong Ruina, petite but powerful.

Denmark's Camilla Martin took the title last year after beating four Chinese in succession. The draw has been a little kinder this time round but from the quarter-finals onwards European faces look sure to be thin on the ground.

On the scoring side, the tournament, an International Badminton Federation event, will use the 3x11 (best of three sets, first to 11 points) in the women's and mixed doubles rather than 3x15 or 5x9 favoured by host country England who have raised the spectre of sex discrimination.

The wrangle, which has pre-occupied the sport, should be settled at a special meeting next month during the world team championships in Eindhoven in the Netherlands.