BADMINTON WORLD FEDERATION www.bwfbadminton.org

As BWF zeroes in on 100 Shuttle Time implementations globally by December, the grassroots initiative continues to thrive in Haiti thanks to collaboration between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and BWF.

The manner in which badminton is growing in Haiti is an excellent example of how BWF has embraced like-minded organisations to develop the sport worldwide as it strives to live up to its goal – and motto – of “Giving Every Child a Chance to Play”.

Ravaged by a deadly earthquake in January 2010, Haiti’s sporting rejuvenation has benefited from the Sport for Hope Centre, opened last year in Port-au-Prince by IOC President Thomas Bach. This establishment – a joint venture by the IOC, its key stakeholders and the Haitian government – features modern sporting facilities and offers Haitians the opportunity to experience various sports, including badminton. The partnership between the Sport for Hope Centre and BWF resulted from Shuttle Time’s initial success in Haiti and, importantly, the advantage of having active Shuttle Time tutors in place. These factors significantly influenced badminton’s selection as a core sport in the Sport for Hope Centre.

Golden Triple for lee and ChoonG (paGes 3-4)

‘Yun-ique’ Zhao Doubles – aGain! (paGe 6)

Yonex Denmark open (superseries Premier), odense

Yonex French open (superseries), Paris

bitburger badminton open (Grand Prix Gold), saarbrucken

Jeonju Victor Korea Masters (Grand Prix Gold), Jeonju

bWF World Junior Championships – Team Championship (bWF Major event), lima

Thaihot China open (superseries Premier), Fuzhou

bWF World Junior Championships – individual Championships (bWF Major event), lima

Yonex-sunrise hong Kong open (superseries), Kowloon

Yonex brasil open (Grand Prix) – Rio 2016 Test event, Rio de Janeiro

Macau open (Grand Prix Gold), Macau

Yonex sunrise indonesian Masters (Grand Prix Gold), Malang, east Java

Dubai World superseries Finals (superseries Premier), Dubai

SHUTTLE WORLDJULY - SEPTEMBER 2015 / EDITION NO. 11

highlights

key dates

13-18 october

20-25 october

27 october-01 november

03-08 november

04-08 november

10-15 november

10-15 november

17-22 november

24-29 november

24-29 november

01-06 December

09-13 December

Shuttle Time was first introduced to the Caribbean island in 2012 with the help of Haitian Badminton Federation, Peace and Sport and the Badminton Pan Am Confederation. The objectives included developing a local workforce to deliver badminton in schools and communities, creating opportunities for children to be active and experience fun, and introducing a schools’ badminton competition. Thereafter, BWF and Badminton Pan Am maintained support for badminton development in Haiti through further Shuttle Time activities.

However, thanks to the Sport for Hope Centre, badminton and Shuttle Time are now on firmer footing with Shuttle Time sessions being held there daily as well as in schools throughout Haiti. In December 2014, Guillaume Gailly – a BWF Shuttle Time trainer from France – delivered Shuttle Time Tutor/Teacher training to 22 participants at the well-equipped Centre; some of whom were full-time sports trainers working there. The multi-purpose complex accommodates 14 Olympic sports, besides having classrooms, a fitness centre, a medical centre, changing rooms and a gazebo. The badminton hall can hold six courts.

BADMINTON FOR HOPEbWF anD ioC TeaM uP in haiTi

BWF’S INTEGRITY CAMPAIGN …cOMINg SOON!

Continues on page 5

ROYALLY gOOD!badminton recently received some royal publicity at one of the leading medical institutions in spain.

During a visit to the Paraplegic hospital in Toledo, his Majesty King Felipe Vi took to the badminton courts with some of the patients as he tried out a number of sports which are used as part of the rehabilitation programmes.

The Paraplegic hospital is the most important medical centre for the treatment of spinal injuries in spain and one of the most important in europe. Patients there practise badminton twice weekly, thanks to an arrangement with Castilla-la Mancha badminton Federation (the regional federation and a member of badminton spain) which provides trainers.

The aim of these sessions is to increase the range of movement, both for patients who can stand and those who are wheelchair-bound like erik (pictured with King Felipe). Trainers have indicated that patients who practise badminton regularly improve their movement and upper-body coordination.

Photo: © Casa s.M. el Rey

BADMINTON WORLD FEDERATION www.bwfbadminton.org

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Dear Colleagues and Friends

Over the past few months, we have celebrated the successes of worthy winners in three different World Championships and have continued to see amazing talent emerge from across the global spectrum.

In mid-August, the TOTAL BWF World Championships took centrestage in Jakarta, Indonesia and yet again China’s Chen Long and Carolina Marin of Spain stood tall in the singles categories. There was also an incredible repeat for Zhao Yunlei; the Chinese star retaining her Doubles double in the Women’s and Mixed disciplines, with partners, Tian Qing and Zhang Nan respectively.

Finally, could even the most partisan fan deny what a fitting finale it was for our gracious hosts, Indonesia, to claim the last gold medal of the tournament – Men’s Doubles – on the eve of their 70th Independence Day anniversary?

Well done to Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan for sparking unbridled joy among their compatriots packed into the colourful Istora Senayan.

It was an epic conclusion to an enthralling event!

Then it was on to the BWF Para-Badminton World Championships in mid-September in the ‘home of para sports’, Stoke Mandeville, England. There we were shown that physical impairment is no deterrent to competitiveness, skill and the sheer will to win. These championships – the first since para-badminton’s historic inclusion in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games – underlined what a compelling sport it is, featuring very talented and courageous athletes.

Congratulations to Rachel Choong of England and Korea’s Lee Sam Seop for competing brilliantly to win three golds each as well as to all their peers who also won medals and represented their respective countries proudly. As we in BWF continue our efforts to grow para-badminton globally, it was wonderful to see 223 athletes from 37 countries across four continental confederations playing, with each confederation winning at least one medal. These are positive signs for the future.

That event was following by the increasingly-popular BWF World Senior Championships in Helsingborg, Sweden, where more than a thousand players converged to vie for age-group World titles, starting from +35 to +70 in the five traditional disciplines. Helsingborg Arena was an amazing sight to behold with action taking place on 14 courts in two halls. In some regards, it was a flashback to past top-flight tussles, with some well-known personalities battling for honours.

The likes of two-time Men’s Doubles World champion Tony Gunawan (USA); former Indonesian international Flandy Limpele; former Men’s Singles World champions, Harijanto Arbi (Indonesia) and Peter Rasmussen (Denmark), were among those who enjoyed a memorable outing in Helsingborg.

Meanwhile, at elite level, attention has reverted to the MetLife BWF World Superseries and the race is well and truly on for qualifying places in the season-ending Dubai World Superseries Finals. Following the Yonex Open Japan and Victor Korea Open in September, there are four tournaments remaining as the best in badminton seek a spot in the spectacular finale to 2015.

Who will be there?

Your guess is as good as mine!

Poul-Erik Høyer

Poul-Erik HøyerBWF President

ediTorial

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BADMINTON WORLD FEDERATION www.bwfbadminton.org

gOLDEN TRIPLEFOR LEE AND cHOONg

“I’m going to be up on cloud nine for a good while. It means more also as it’s in England. Only my mum was with me when I won in Germany so having all my family here to see me become World champion again today really has been the icing on the cake. I am so happy,” said the Liverpool native.

Meanwhile, Lee Sam Seop dominated the wheelchair competition, not only remaining the Men’s Singles WH 1 champion but adding the Men’s Doubles WH 1-WH 2 and Mixed Doubles WH 1-WH 2 titles to his trophy cabinet.

The top-seeded Korean overcame Germany’s Thomas Wandschneider in the singles final, 21-9 21-12; won Men’s Doubles with Kim Kyung Hoon (21-17 19-21 26-24) versus their team-mates, Kim Jung Jun/Lee Dong Seop; and took Mixed Doubles honours with Kim Yeon Sim. They

Rachel Choong and Lee Sam Seop savoured triple success at the BWF Para-Badminton World Championships in August, leading their respective countries to four golds each.

Competing in the SS 6 sport class, Choong boasted winning performances in Women’s Singles, Women’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles at Stoke Mandeville Stadium in England. Having secured the Women’s Doubles gold with Rebecca Bedford, the 21-year-old then retained her singles crown by beating her partner 21-13 21-2 in the final and teamed up with Andrew Martin to inflict another loss on Bedford and Jack Shephard in the Mixed Doubles showdown (21-16 21-4).

The triple World champion was thrilled with her success as she and other para-badminton athletes look ahead to the sport’s debut in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.“I hadn’t realised I was the first English player to win three (golds) in the same championships and that feels amazing.

beat Thailand’s Jakarin Homhaul/Amnouy Wetwithan, 23-21 21-17.

India also copped four of the 21 titles up for grabs, with golden runs in Men’s Singles SL 3 and SL 4, with victories for Pramod Bhagat and Tarun Tarun respectively. Their team-mates, Anand Kumar Boregowda and Manoj Sarkar, won Men’s Doubles SL 3-SL 4 and India also took gold in Mixed Doubles SL 3-SU 5, thanks to Raj Kumar and Parul Dalsukhbhai Parmar.

Other stand-out performances came from Malaysia’s Cheah Liek Hou; Norway’s Helle Sofie Sagoy and Amnouy Wetwithan of Thailand, with two gold medals apiece.

A total of 223 players from 37 countries competed in the biennial, four-day tournament.

bWF Vice President – Para-badminton, Paul Kurzo (left), presents Chairman of badminton england, Derek batchelor, with a token of appreciation.

amnouy Wetwithan of Thailand won two gold medals.

Mamiko Toyoda of Japan lost her Women’s singles su 5 crown.

a diving leonardo Zuffo of brazil.action-packed stoke Mandeville stadium.

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BADMINTON WORLD FEDERATION www.bwfbadminton.org

BWF Para-Badminton World ChamPionshiPs 2015 – WinnersMs sl 3: Pramod bhagat (india)Ms sl 4: Tarun Tarun (india) Ms ss 6: Didin Taresoh (Malaysia)Ms su 5: Cheah liek hou (Malaysia)Ms Wh 1: lee sam seop (Korea) Ms Wh 2: Kim Jung Jun (Korea) MD sl 3 - sl 4: anand Kumar boregowda/Manoj sarkar (india)MD ss 6: Krysten Coombs/Jack shephard (england)MD su 5: Cheah liek hou/hairol Fozi saaba (Malaysia)MD Wh 1 - Wh 2: Kim Kyung hoon/lee sam seop (Korea) Ws sl 4: helle sofie sagoy (norway)Ws ss 6: Rachel Choong (england)Ws su 5: Julie Thrane (Denmark)Ws Wh 1: Wang Ping (China)Ws Wh 2: amnouy Wetwithan (Thailand)WD sl 3 - su 5: helle sofie sagoy (norway)/Katrin seibert (Germany)WD ss 6: Rebecca bedford/Rachel Choong (england)WD Wh 1 - Wh 2: sujirat Pookkhum/amnouy Wetwithan (Thailand)XD sl 3 - su 5: Raj Kumar/Parul Dalsukhbhai Parmar (india)XD ss 6: andrew Martin/Rachel Choong (england)XD Wh 1 - Wh 2: lee sam seop/Kim Yeon sim (Korea)

Triple gold medallist, lee sam seop (left), and partner Kim Kyung hoon were victorious in Men’s Doubles Wh 1-Wh 2 for Korea.

england’s Rachel Choong won one of her three golds in Mixed Doubles ss 6 with andrew Martin.

Mixed Doubles sl 3-su 5 winners, Raj Kumar and Parul Dalsukhbhai Parmar of india.

Denmark’s Julie Thrane won a gold, silver and bronze.

Wang Ping of China was delighted with gold in Women’s singles Wh 1 at her first bWF World Championships.

new Zealand’s lone representative, nina Kersten, took home silver in WD ss 6, partnering Randika Doling of sri lanka.

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BADMINTON WORLD FEDERATION www.bwfbadminton.org

Federation of Haiti. A stringing machine is also being provided by BWF and will be kept at the Sport for Hope Centre. An official development plan, to be signed by BWF, Badminton Pan Am Confederation and Badminton Federation of Haiti, will outline the roadmap for future development.

Alma Duggary is one of the children excited by the blossoming badminton infrastructure in Haiti. Having been introduced to it via Shuttle Time, he is now “addicted”.

“Badminton allows me to dream big,” declared this proud winner of two medals at the recent schools’ championships.

“I never saw badminton being played before but I wanted to practise it. Something attracted me to it. Once I started playing, I was addicted. I imagine badminton rallies at night when I’m sleeping. I won two medals at the schools’ championships and this will push me to succeed in badminton for my country.”

The Centre was also the location for the inaugural National Schools Championships held in May this year by the Haitian Badminton Federation. The event provided an opportunity for children involved in Shuttle Time to enjoy friendly competition against pupils from other schools. The tournament was officiated by trainee umpires and line judges who had just participated in a BWF-sponsored Umpire, Line Judge and Competition Management Training course.

“We must also improve the technical expertise around badminton so that our membership can officiate and manage their own competitions,” noted BWF Development Chair, David Cabello. “For us to be successful in the long term, this must be a holistic process.”

While the Centre provides transportation and meals, BWF has been ensuring players have enough equipment to pursue the sport. In June 2015, kit bags containing rackets, shuttles and nets were sent to the Badminton

Ultimately, the goal of the Sport for Hope Centre is to nurture Haiti’s sporting talent, hopefully resulting in youth like Alma progressing to represent their nation at regional and possibly international level at events like the Pan Am Juniors and the Youth Olympic Games.

Hence the potential and opportunity which simply getting “a chance to play” a sport like badminton can offer to children all over the world – thanks to co-operation such as that between BWF and IOC-funded Sport for Hope Centre.

Continued from page 1

ANTI-DOPINg STALwART PASSES AwAYChair of BWF’s Doping Review Panel, Finn Mikkelsen, died suddenly on Sunday 27 September.

The 66-year-old, who held that position since 2010, contributed greatly to the BWF Anti-Doping Programme both as Chair of the Panel and as an external expert and adviser to the BWF.

Mikkelsen (right) was well known in the anti-doping community as well as in the badminton community in his homeland Denmark in particular, through both his research in badminton and performance training/coaching and his pioneering work at Anti-Doping Denmark of which he was Executive Director from 2004 to 2010. He had been involved in anti-doping for more than 20 years before his retirement from Anti-Doping Denmark. His expertise resulted in him being much sought after by major international sports organisations.

He was previously Head of Section, Research, Anti-Doping and Physiological Testing at Team Denmark (1999 – 2004) and a consultant to the Danish Elite Sports Institute (Team Denmark) (1986 – 1999).

“We are shocked and saddened by Finn’s passing and we express sincere condolences to his family, friends and colleagues,” said BWF Secretary General Thomas Lund.

“We truly appreciated his time with us, his advice and support. BWF has benefited immensely from his knowledge and significant contribution to our anti-doping programme and his continuous availability as an expert volunteer on our panels.”

badminton competitors in the first-ever national schools Championships in haiti.

Thanks to the sport for hope Centre (below), badminton and shuttle Time in haiti have progressed significantly from their outdoor beginnings (above).

BADMINTON WORLD FEDERATION www.bwfbadminton.org

PAGE 6

‘Yun-ique’ Zhao DOUBLES – AgAIN!

Women’s Singles, a discipline they have dominated since the early 1980s. With their top three players failing to reach the semi-finals, this was the first time China returned without a medal in Women’s Singles.

Spain’s Carolina Marin defended her Women’s Singles (5) title with a typically feisty victory against India’s Saina Nehwal in the final. Marin fought back from deficits in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final.

The Men’s Singles (3) followed a different pattern. Chen Long defended his title without losing a game all tournament. The final in particular was one-sided as Chen comfortably thwarted all of Lee Chong Wei’s attempts and the Malaysian never appeared confident of overcoming his Chinese nemesis.

Local heroes Mohammad Ahsan/Hendra Setiawan were all over China’s Liu Xiaolong/Qiu Zihan in the Men’s Doubles (2) showdown, making it a perfect gift for the boisterous crowd as curtains fell on the tournament on the eve of Indonesia’s 70th Independence Day.

The TOTAL BWF World Championships 2015 will be remembered for another epic performance by Zhao Yunlei (6).

In a repeat of her heroics a year ago in Copenhagen, the Chinese wonder woman stood tall in the Istora Senayan in Jakarta with two more World Championship gold medals to bring her overall tally at that level to five; three in Mixed Doubles and two in Women’s Doubles.

By retaining her titles at the 22nd edition of the championships, the tenacious 29-year-old became the first woman to win five World titles.

Zhao and Mixed Doubles (1) partner Zhang Nan brushed aside younger compatriots Liu Cheng/Bao Yixin before Zhao and Tian Qing faced Danish duo Christinna Pedersen/Kamilla Rytter Juhl for the Women’s Doubles (4) crown. The Danes grabbed the early momentum, but Zhao/Tian steadily chipped away their lead, eventually gaining the upper hand to ensure China’s third gold – and that their reign as World champions continues another two years until the TOTAL BWF World Championships 2017 in Glasgow, Scotland.

While China, despite many setbacks during the week, still finished with three gold medals, they would be concerned about

FINALS RESULTSXD: Zhang Nan/Zhao Yunlei (CHN) bt Liu Cheng/Bao Yixin (CHN) 21-17 21-11

wS: Carolina Marin (ESP) bt Saina Nehwal (IND) 21-16 21-19

MS: Chen Long (CHN) bt Lee Chong Wei (MAS) 21-14 21-17

wD: Tian Qing/Zhao Yunlei (CHN) bt Christinna Pedersen/Kamilla Rytter Juhl (DEN) 23-25 21-8 21-15

MD: Mohammad Ahsan/Hendra Setiawan (INA) bt Liu Xiaolong/Qiu Zihan (CHN) 21-17 21-14

1 2

4

3

6

5

BADMINTON WORLD FEDERATION www.bwfbadminton.org

PAGE 7

Nehwal. The Indian visited Dubai in April this year to interact with and inspire participants of the school championships. The first Shuttle Time Dubai Girls’ School Championships saw participation from 176 girls of 15 schools. Six teams that made it to the finals and six teams from the Boys’ Emirati Badminton Challenge got to meet Nehwal.

When Dubai Sports World opened in June this year, badminton also had a prominent presence for the second successive year. Six free-to-play courts were a hive of activity, with players of all ages in Shuttle Time Dubai T-shirts displaying their skills. Grassroots badminton continued to make strides later in the year, with the first BWF Coach Level 1 course being held in early July. After completing the course at Dubai Sports World, the group of 14 teachers – six men and eight women - from local schools, clubs and academies received their BWF Coach Level 1 certificates.

The inaugural Shuttle Time Dubai Club Championships were held in August. Over 120 players from 12 teams fought it out over five weeks for a shot at the Club Championships title. Hessa El Kous, Sports Events Planning Manager from Dubai Sports Council, was on hand to present the trophies to Group A and Group B winners and runners-up. The victorious team won the chance to attend coaching sessions with former world No.1 Men’s Singles player, Peter Gade. The icing on the cake for the programme was the launch of four Shuttle Time Dubai Local Training Centres in September. The centres will serve to as a talent identification and development pathway for children participating in the after-school programmes.

For a region with limited exposure to world-class badminton until recently, Dubai has come a long way in just over a year.

The Middle East metropolis has been a sparkling example of the progress of badminton in a stunningly short time. While the year-ending Dubai World Superseries Finals draws most of the attention, a number of developmental projects have contributed to establishing a base for badminton in Dubai.

Following the announcement of a multi-platform partnership between BWF and Dubai Sports Council in April 2014, Shuttle Time Dubai was launched in July, attended by players such as Hendra Setiawan, Mohammad Ahsan (Indonesia), PV Sindhu (India) and Kenichi Tago (Japan). Initially targeting 40 schools, Shuttle Time Dubai aimed to train more than 80 teachers to deliver safe and enjoyable badminton lessons to more than 3,000 students aged between eight and 16.

The Shuttle Time programme has periodically received a boost from some of the world’s biggest stars. Men’s Singles World champion Chen Long (China) visited Dubai shortly after defending his Denmark Open title last year, engaging with schoolchildren and players involved with the Shuttle Time Dubai grassroots initiative.

Chen interacted with students of three schools, hitting shuttles with them and giving them tips on improving their game. Chen was also a guest at the second Shuttle Time Dubai Open at Mirdif City Centre, which caused great excitement among competitors and spectators.Another star to provide an impetus was Saina

Meanwhile, the season finale of this year’s MetLife BWF World Superseries is again set for Hamdan Sports Complex from 9-13 December. Having been held for the first time at the impressive venue in 2014, the Dubai World Superseries Finals will once more showcase an elite cadre of players as only the top eight in each discipline qualify to compete. Ahead of next year’s much-anticipated Rio 2016 Olympic Games, it is certainly one of the most spectacular events.

Last year’s Men’s Singles champion Chen Long enjoys a clear lead at the top of the Destination Dubai Rankings, having won four World Superseries titles so far this year. Women’s Singles champion Tai Tzu Ying is in seventh place and must avoid any slip-ups at the four remaining World Superseries tournaments if she is to ensure a chance of defending her crown.

Men’s Doubles champions Lee Yong Dae/Yoo Yeon Seong (Korea) have found form lately, winning back-to-back titles in Japan and Korea, and hold the No.1 spot ahead of China’s Fu Haifeng/Zhang Nan. Women’s Doubles champions Misaki Matsutomo/Ayaka Takahashi (Japan) suffered a setback in Japan and Korea with injury to Matsutomo. They are currently ranked fourth.

Mixed Doubles champions Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei’s run has continued almost uninterrupted this season. The Chinese are well ahead in the rankings, leading Indonesia’s Tontowi Ahmad/Liliyana Natsir and Chinese compatriots, Liu Cheng/Bao Yixin.

Dubai blaZing BADMINTON TRAIL

PAGE 7

indian star shuttler, saina nehwal (front row; centre), was the special guest at the first shuttle Time Dubai schools Championships.

The Men’s Doubles presentation ceremony at last year’s World superseries Finals.

shuttle Time Dubai local Training Centre at Dubai national school in al barsha.

TeaM ViCToR: shuttle Time Dubai badminton Club Championships inaugural winners.

China’s Zhang nan (right) and Zhao Yunlei want to defend their Mixed Doubles title at the Finals.

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BADMINTON WORLD FEDERATION www.bwfbadminton.org

bWF Development Director ian Wright.

BwF DEvELOPMENT: SENIORS AND TALENTED PLAYERS IN FOcUS

183 AND cOUNTINg!The Libyan Badminton Federation has become the newest member of the Badminton World Federation.This brings the world-governing body’s membership total to 183 (176 members and 7 associate members).

Following the successes of their 2012-2016 development initiatives, BWF continental confederations gathered recently to finalise key strategic priorities for the 2016-2020 cycle.

While the intention is certainly to continue spreading Shuttle Time’s wings as a schools-based development programme, the world-governing body’s Development Department will be focusing on the blossoming landscape of seniors badminton.

“It is one of our focal points in the next four years – to support seniors badminton. Seniors is a new growth market in badminton and in sports in general,” disclosed BWF Development Chair, David Cabello.

“We have just had a record of more than 1300 competitors in our World Senior Championships in Sweden and we can look around the world and see how many sporting events are geared towards this segment of our population. It is our responsibility, from a development perspective, to implement relevant structures and initiatives to harness this obvious interest in badminton.”

Another major objective is the implementation of the player development strategy to identify talented players in less-developed and developing member associations and help them improve.

“Our aim is to get more countries up to the elite level of badminton and ultimately to improve the medal spreads at continental championships, World Championships and Olympic Games,” explained Cabello, adding that this programme will be rolled out in collaboration with the confederations.

At the same time, BWF will look to enhance its coach-education framework; further engage with universities on Shuttle Time; and better develop structures and capacity-building among its membership.

“This holistic approach is crucial to the overall development of badminton. We have to look at building all parts of our sport simultaneously. We have a sound and popular grassroots programme and our members need the accompanying coaching, administrative and event-management structures to support the interest in badminton that will result from Shuttle Time and other badminton initiatives,” noted Cabello.“BWF is committed to continuing to develop cutting-edge resources to back up the development of badminton in new and existing members in operational areas. We now have an Educational Resource Manager, Sharon Springer, who is focusing on establishing these courses for our global requirements.”

Meanwhile, Chief Operating Officer of Badminton Oceania, Julie Carrel, praised the three-day meeting at BWF headquarters in Malaysia, highlighting the “great networking” among continental colleagues.

“It’s inspiring to share plans and hear what others are doing. These meetings help to assure us that we are on the right track with initiatives like Shuttle Time and coach education. We are getting a lot of support from BWF,” she said.

“There’s a good understanding of our challenges, like having a small staff so we have to multi-task and prioritise. However, we are keenly aware that we need to pay attention to all aspects and connect player development and events with others aspects of badminton.”

bWF Development Chair David Cabello.

bWF President Poul-erik høyer (right) and bWF Dubai Project Coordinator, Jaffer ebrahim.

bWF operations Director stuart borrie (left), nadia bleaken and Julie Carrel (right) of badminton oceania.

bWF events Chair Peter Tarcala (left), bWF events Director Darren Parks (centre) and bWF Technical events Manager, Chris Trenholme, spearheaded the one-day events workshop which followed the Development meeting with continental confederations.

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BADMINTON WORLD FEDERATION www.bwfbadminton.org

MAkINgS OF A STAR

YONEYAMA HONOUREDYonex founder and Honorary Chairman Minoru Yoneyama has received the Badminton World Federation’s highest honour – the President’s Medal – for his “truly exceptional contribution” to badminton.

The elderly Yoneyama was presented with the medal by BWF President Poul-Erik Høyer (left) before the start of the Yonex Open Japan 2015 semi-finals in Tokyo in September. Recipients of this honour, awarded to distinguished individuals or organisations who have made exceptional contributions to badminton, are nominated exclusively by the BWF President. Yoneyama is the second recipient of the award after His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand in 2012.

Yoneyama (right), whose family was in the woodwork industry, began his company after World War II, manufacturing wooden rackets. The company was at the forefront of technological changes in the sport, transitioning from wood to aluminium and then carbon fibre. Yonex’s support for players, events and organisations helped badminton grow globally.

“Today is an opportunity to recognise the exceptional contribution that Mr Minoru Yoneyama has made to our sport over the last 55 years,” noted Høyer, paying glowing tribute in his citation to Yoneyama whose company started producing badminton rackets in 1957.

Yonex has been the sole supplier and sole stringer for badminton since the sport debuted in the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games as a

welcomed the players and spoke of how important it is for badminton players to communicate better with key stakeholders.

The modules in the programme dealt with facets of media interaction such as attentiveness and body language; interview tips; the use of phrases in English or the local language to establish a rapport with the press and fans; fulfilling sponsor obligations and expectations; being aware of how personal conduct influences sponsorship; getting to know what fans want and expect, and how the players stand to benefit from better interaction with various stakeholders.

Players were given brochures with easy-to-remember points that can help promote themselves, their sponsors and the sport. The presenters emphasised the importance of players putting themselves in the shoes of their fans and realising that people seek insights into their lives and personalities. However, the players were also cautioned

Stars like Chen Long, Lin Dan, Christinna Pedersen and others became diligent students as they attended the BWF Players’ Media Education Programme on the eve of the TOTAL BWF World Championships in August.

The workshops, devised to enhance players’ profiles as sports stars, sought to help them interact better with media, fans and sponsors while pointing out the benefits of building a strong, wholesome image – both to themselves and to their sport.

Many top countries, including China, Denmark, Indonesia, Japan and Korea attended the sessions. The programme, divided into easy-to-follow modules, was presented by BWF Commercial & Communications Director Owen Leed and Communications Manager Gayle Alleyne.

BWF President Poul-Erik Høyer and BWF Athletes’ Commission Chair Yuhan Tan

on the dangers of new media, since a ‘personal’ post or tweet could easily become public.

Japan head coach Park Joo Bong lauded the initiative.

“It’s good that BWF has conducted this programme. In fact, we are also thinking of conducting similar programmes for Japanese players on the national circuit, so that they become aware of how to talk to the media,” he revealed.

Both Tan and fellow Athletes’ Commission member, Greysia Polii of Indonesia – currently a top Women’s Doubles player – also praised the BWF for educating athletes on such important aspects.

“There were some good suggestions on how to present oneself during an interview. I’m sure our players will benefit from this training. It was quite comprehensive,” said Polii.

demonstration sport and will continue this unique bond at next year’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The company has also partnered with BWF to promote and develop badminton globally. In his native Japan, Yoneyama has established the Yonex Sports Development Foundation to fund young athletes and sports in general.

“We want to continue to reach more players, both social and professionals around the world. Most of all, to bring joy to people, for them to maintain good health just by swinging the racket or to spend quality time socially by playing badminton. Our aim is always to evolve our products and use them to promote badminton,” said Yoneyama, thanking the BWF President for the honour.

“The most important thing is that each player’s racket enables them to play with a sense of joy.”

Japan team members at the Players’ Media education Programme. Two-time olympic gold medallist, lin

Dan (front; centre), and his Chinese team-mates listen attentively.

bWF Commercial & Communications Director, owen leed, speaks to players.

BADMINTON WORLD FEDERATION www.bwfbadminton.org

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FINAL RESULTS:aGe GRouP +35Ms 35: stanislav Pukhov (Russia) bt Thorsten hukriede (Germany) 21-13 21-16Ws 35: Rebecca Pantaney (england) bt Mayumi bando (Japan) 21-8 21-15MD 35: Tony Gunawan (usa)/Flandy limpele (indonesia) bt naruenart Chuaymak/apichai Thiraratsakul (Thailand) 21-13 21-9WD 35: Kazumi ichinohe/noriko sanada (Japan) bt sunniva aminoff (sweden)/Claudia Vogelgsang (Germany) 21-18 21-15XD 35: Tommy sørensen/lisbeth T haagensen (Denmark) bt Thorsten hukriede/Michaela hukriede (Germany) 21-17 21-12

aGe GRouP +40Ms 40: Peter Rasmussen (Denmark) bt Jurgen Koch (austria) 21-17 21-11Ws 40: Georgy Van soerland-Trouerbach (netherlands) bt Pernille strom (Denmark) 21-10 21-10MD 40: harijanto arbi/Tri Kusharjanto (indonesia) bt Peter Rasmussen/Thomas stavngaard (Denmark) 21-19 21-17WD 40: natalia Gonchar/olga Kuznetsova (Russia) bt Csilla Gondane Forian (hungary)/Reni hassan (bulgaria) 21-16 21-15XD 40: Carsten loesch/Dorte steenberg (Denmark) bt erik sjostedt/nilofar Mosavar Rahmani (sweden) 21-17 21-13

aGe GRouP +45Ms 45: Wu Chang-Jun (Chinese Taipei) bt liu en-horng (Chinese Taipei) 21-18 22-20Ws 45: Gitte sommer (Denmark) bt Csilla Gondane Forian (hungary) 21-17 21-14MD 45: liu en-horng/Chang-Jun Wu (Chinese Taipei) bt oleg Grigoryev/Vadim nazarov (Russia) 21-15 21-8

WD 45: anne birgitte nielsen/Gitte sommer (Denmark) bt Mie hanyu/akiko ueda (Japan) 24-22 16-21 21-10XD 45: bo sorensen/Gitte sommer (Denmark) bt Jakob oestergaard/lene struwe andersen (Denmark) 25-23 21-8

aGe GRouP +50Ms 50: Chang Wen-sung (Chinese Taipei) bt narong Canichitsarakul (Thailand) 21-19 14-21 21-16Ws 50: lone hagelskjaer Knudsen (Denmark) bt Jeannette Can Der Werff (netherlands) 14-21 21-13 21-12MD 50: surachai Makkasasithorn/narong Vanichitsarakul (Thailand) bt Karyanto Tan/hadi suganyanto Wahono (indonesia) 21-14 21-14WD 50: Charlotte Dew-hattens/Grete sahlertz Kragekjaer (Denmark) bt Cathy bargh/Kay Vickers (england) 21-13 21-14XD 50: Chang Wen-sung (Chinese Taipei)/Zhou Xin (hong Kong) bt Morten Christensen/helle sjorring (Denmark) 15-21 21-15 21-16

aGe GRouP +55Ms 55: hastomo arbie (indonesia) bt Jack Keith Priestman (Canada) 21-11 21-13Ws 55: heidi bender (Germany) bt linda Wood (england) 21-6 21-8MD 55: uun setiawan santoso/simbarsono sutanto (indonesia) bt Trirong limsakul/attakorn Maensamut (Thailand) 21-18 21-12WD 55: heidi bender/Maren schröder (Germany) bt Jennifer a Cox/Christine M Crossley (england) 21-17 18-21 21-15XD 55: stefan Frey/heidi bender (Germany) bt Toshiyuki Kamiya/Kuniko Yamamoto (Japan) 22-20 21-10

aGe GRouP +60Ms 60: Claus b andersen (Denmark) bt Toshio Kawaguchi (Japan) 21-14 21-15

Ws 60: Christine M Crossley (england) Christine black (scotland) 21-15 21-19MD 60: Jiamsak Panitchaikul/surapong suharitdumrong (Thailand) bt William hamblett/Graham holt (england) 21-12 21-11WD 60: Christine black (scotland)/Marjan Ridder (netherlands) bt Marguerite butt/ann hurst (england) 21-16 21-8XD 60: Rob Ridder (netherlands)/Marjan Ridder (netherlands) bt Graham holt /ann hurst (england) 21-13 21-10

aGe GRouP +65Ms 65: Johan Croukamp (south africa) bt Per Dabelsteen (Denmark) 21-18 21-12Ws 65: Rose lei (usa) bt Yuriko okemoto (Japan) 21-12 21-12MD 65: Robert J bell/Royston V lord (england) bt Vidya bhushan arora/sushil Kumar Patet (india) 21-18 21-8WD 65: Yoko akiyama/Yasuko Kataito (Japan) bt sumiko Kaneko/Yuriko okemoto (Japan) 21-13 7-21 21-16XD 65: Royston V lord/eileen M Carley (england) bt Robert J bell/Penelope a shears (england) 12-21 21-13 21-13

aGe GRouP +70Ms 70: Joachim schimpke (Germany) bt Gerd Pigola (Germany) 24-22 21-12Ws 70: Renate Gabriel (Germany) bt barbara Gibson (england) 19-21 21-14 21-8MD 70: Ching Kon Kong/loo ah hooi loo (Malaysia) bt akira hirota/shinjiro Matsuda (Japan) 21-11 21-18WD 70: beryl Goodall (england)/Kathleen Jenner (england) bt satoko nakamura/sanae uno (Japan) 21-11 24-22XD 70: Kenneth Tantum/Joanna elson (england) bt Roger baldwin/Victoria betts 21-16 17-21 21-12

SENIORS SHINEIN SwEDEN

More than 1300 competitors, including some well-known faces, descended on Helsingborg, Sweden in late September for the BWF World Senior Championships.

The biennial, week-long tournament saw World champions crowned in age groups, ranging from +35 to +70, in all five disciplines. While stepping up to senior level, it was familiar territory for the likes of former World title-holders, Tony Gunawan, Peter Rasmussen and Harijanto Arbi, who were among the winners.

BWF President Poul-Erik Høyer attended the finals and highlighted the friendly rivalry and camaraderie which prevailed.

“There’s an overwhelming atmosphere of fun – both on and off the courts – which makes this a superb tournament and I hope it will maintain this spirit as it continues to flourish as an important event on our calendar,” he said.

Men’s Singles +55 medallists (left to right): Jack Priestman (Canada; silver); hastomo arbie (indonesia; gold); seiji eto (Japan; bronze) and loke Poh Wong (australia; bronze).

Women’s Singles +70: Renate Gabriel of Germany (centre) retained her title while barbara Gibson (england) took silver and elvira Richter of Germany (right) won bronze.

Men’s Singles +40 winner: Peter Rasmussen (Denmark).

Mixed Doubles +55 silver medallists, Toshiyuki Kamiya (right) and Kuniko Yamamoto of Japan.