Para Badminton History

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Para Badminton History

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Para Badminton

Para badminton is a variant of badminton for people with physical disabilities. Based on the impairment, a classification into competition classes will be made, for example for people with wheelchairs or with prostheses. The game is based on the usual badminton rules. Depending on the class of play, the size of the court is changed. The net height was increased to 1.55 m for all sports classes at the end of 2011, which now corresponds to the regular badminton height. Previously, the height for the wheelchair and short-statured classes was 1.40 m.

Para badminton has been integrated into the Badminton World Federation (BWF) since 2011 and will be part of the Paralympic Games for the first time in Tokyo in 2020. 

From IBAD via PBWF into BWF

IBAD - International Badminton Association for Disabled

Foundation

The International Badminton Association for Disabled (IBAD) was founded on 17 June 1995 in Stoke Mandeville / England as the organising body for disabled badminton at international level.

The founding countries were: Croatia, Germany, Great Britain, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Russia and Switzerland.

The goal of IBAD was to promote, develop and organise disabled badminton.

At the General Assembly on 10 June 2000, the IBAD statutes and regulations were completely revised under the leadership of Switzerland. The aim was to align the rules and regulations as closely as possible with those of the International Badminton Federation (IBF; since 2006 Badminton World Federation BWF).

On 9 October 2008, the first key meeting for a deeper cooperation between IBAD and BWF took place. Torsten Berg (BWF Vice President) and Paul Kurzo (Interim President IBAD) met for the first time in Lausanne to discuss ideas and future perspectives.

In 2009, three workshops were held under the slogan «One Sport – One Team» with the aim of integrating IBAD into BWF. Important topics were:

  • Integration model
  • Structure within BWF
  • Integration of the rules and regulations
  • Classification system
  • Technical officials
  • Financial aspects
  • Human resources
  • Achieving observer status in the IPC

The following persons attended at least one of the three workshops:

  • From IBAD: Antony Forster, Günter Klützke, Paul Kurzo, Jim McKay
  • From BWF: Torsten Berg, Lawrence Chew, Günther Huber, Lisa Zender
  • From BEC:  Hans Lenkert

During the IBAD World Championships in Seoul / South Korea, the Annual General Assembly of IBAD took place on 9 September 2009. Guests from BWF were Paisan Rangsikitpho / BWF Deputy President and Torsten Berg / BWF Vice President.

The members of IBAD agreed in principle to the integration into BWF. At the same time, the change of name from IBAD to PBWF Parabadminton World Federation was decided.

PBWF – Parabadminton World Federation

Integration and dissolution of PBWF

On 27 November 2009, the BWF Board agreed to the following:

  • that the BWF Statutes amendments be adapted to allow PBWF to be
    integrated into BWF.
  • a BWF Parabadminton Commission will be installed in BWF
  • the President of PBWF becomes an invited member of the BWF Executive Board
  • delegated to the Chair of the BWF IOC/IR Committee, COO and Secretary General to finalise a Memorandum of Understanding.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by BWF President Dr Kang and PBWF President Paul Kurzo on 14 May 2010. At the same time, an official BWF Parabadminton Working Group was established with four BWF and five PBWF representatives.

Berg / BWF

Paul Kurzo / PBWF Präsident

Dr. Kang Young-Joong / BWF Präsident

The PBWF President was allowed to attend BWF Board meetings from May 2010 onwards as Chair of the Parabadminton Commission.

At the BWF General Assembly, 28 May 2011, in Qingdao / China, the amendments to the Statutes were accepted by the member countries and nothing more stood in the way of the integration of PBWF into BWF.

A few days later, on 3 June 2011, the following points were voted on at the PBWF General Assembly in Dortmund / Germany:

  • Silvia Albrecht / Switzerland and Jim Mackay / Wales present a newly revised classification system, which provides for only six instead of twelve classes
  • Integration of PBWF into BWF and dissolution of PBWF

All the above points are important to become a Paralympic sport by IPC and were all accepted by the member countries.

Various positions in IBAD and PBWF

The IBAD Executive Committee Positions
1995 – 1997 3 Committee positions
Chairman, Technical / Medical Officer and Treasurer
1998 7 Committee positions
Chairman, 1st Vice Chairman, 2nd Vice Chairman, Technical/Medical Officer, 1st Secretary, 2nd Secretary and Treasurer
1999 – 2002 7 Committee positions
Chairman, 1st Vice Chairman, 2nd Vice Chairman, Technical Officer, Medical Officer, Secretary and Treasurer
2003 – 2009 7 Committee positions
President, Vice President, Technical Officer, Medical Officer, Secretary, Treasurer and Asian Representative
2009 – 2011 7 Committee positions
President, Vice President, Technical Officer, Medical Officer, Secretary, Treasurer and Chair of all Confederations

Elections and Terms
1995 – 1998 every year all Committee were to be elected
1998 – 2003 Committee members were elected for two years (half a year, the other half for two years - then all for two years - so that not all knowledge simultaneously disappears from the Committee)
2003 – 2011 the Committee members were elected for four years (same procedure as 1998 - half/half with 2 and 4 years)

President/Chairman
1995 – 2008 Jim Frere / England – resigned
2008 – 2009 Paul Kurzo / Switzerland – temporary as acting President until next General Assembly
2009 – 2011 Paul Kurzo / Switzerland

1st Vice President
1998 – 2007 Moshe Bar-Hen / Israel
2007 – 2009 Paul Kurzo / Switzerland
2009 – 2011 Lyndon Williams / Wales

2nd Vice President
1998 – 1999 U. Larkoff / Russia
1999 – 2000 Igor Kil / Russia

Development Officer
2011 – 2011 Lyndon Williams / Wales

Technical/Medical officer
1995 – 1998 Jim MacKay / Wales - then spited in two positions

Technical Officer
1999 – 2003 Ton Velberg / Netherland
2003 – 2011 Günter Klützke / Germany

Medical Officer --> Head of Classification
1999 – 2011 Jim MacKay / Wales

1st Secretary
1998 – 2003 Jan Kraaij / Netherland
2003 – 2008 Ton Velberg / Netherland - resigned
2008 – 2009 Jim MacKay / Wales – temporary as acting 1st Secretary until next General Assembly
2009 – 2011 Kay Coady / Australia

2nd Secretary
1998 – 1999 Georg Vogel / Germany

Treasurer
1995 – 2003 Bert van der Lobbe / Netherland
2003 – 2005 Jan Kraaij / Netherland
2005 – 2007 Ben Massing / Netherland
2007 – 2011 Antony Forster / England

Asian Representative
2003 – 2008 Asam Ariffin / Malaysia
2009 – 2011 Myong Won Seo / South Korea

European Representative
2007 – 2008 Jim Mackay / Wales
2009 – 2010 Clyd Davis / Wales
2010 – 2011 Derek Bachelor / England

Chair of all Confederation Representatives
2009 – 2011 Myong Won Seo / South Korea

BWF – Badminton World Federation

With the votes of 28 May 2011 (BWF) and 3 June 2011 (PBWF), 16 years of independence for Parabadminton came to an end. From now on, Parabadminton is under the umbrella of the BWF and the federation was dissolved.

At the BWF General Assembly on 28 May 2011 in Qingdao / China, among other things, the amendments to the Statutes for the integration of Parabadminton, the new position of «Vice-President Paralympic Relations» were adopted and the BWF Executive Board was authorised to appoint an interim Vice-President «Paralympic Relations». From 2013 onwards, the Vice-President will be elected by the BWF General Assembly for a four-year term.

At their next meeting, the BWF Board appointed the former IBAD President as the new BWF Board member in this position, which has since been renamed «Vice President Para Badminton». 

Between 2012 and 2015, the entire Parabadminton regulations are integrated into the BWF manuals or amended there.

During the years, Parabadminton was renamed Para-Badminton and finally Para Badminton.

In 2020, Para Badminton will take part in the Paralympics for the first time (however, due to the Corona pandemic, the Games have been postponed by one year).

Various positions in BWF for Para Badminton

BWF Council Members
BWF Vice President Para Badminton
2011 – 2013 Paul Kurzo / Switzerland – appointed by BWF Council
2013 – today Paul Kurzo / Switzerland – elected by the BWF Member Associations

BWF Para Badminton Athletes Commission Chair
2020 – today Richard Perrot / France – elected from the Para Badminton players


BWF Para Badminton Committee (members can only be BWF Council Members)
Established on 27 May 2011 by BWF Council.
Committees deal with policy and strategy related to their Council approved Terms of Reference. Committees make recommendations to Council within their respective areas.
Only members of Council can be committee members, whereas commissions can have external expertise as members.
  • Promote Para badminton and provide advice on the integration of Para badminton into all levels of the organisation.
    		•

    Chair
    2011 – today Paul Kurzo / Switzerland

    Deputy Chair
    2011 – 2012 Torsten Berg / Denmark
    2013 – 2021 Wayne Somers / Canada
    2021 - today Pilar Carrillo / Peru

    Committee Members
    2011 – 2011 Lawrence Chew / Switzerland
    2012 – today Geraldine Brown / Australia
    2013 – 2015 Ranjit de Silva / Sri Lanka
    2013 – today Nora Perry / England
    2017 – 2021 KhunyingPatama Leeswadtrakul / Thailand
    2020 – today Richard Perrot / France
    2021 – today Himanta Biswa Sarma / India
    2021 – today José Gabriel del Busto Fernández / Guatemala
    2021 – today Sawsan Taqawi / Bahrain
    2021 – today Sven Serré / Belgium


    BWF Para Badminton Commission (members with Para Badminton background)
    Established on 3 June 2011 by BWF Council.
    The Para badminton Commission provides expert technical advice to the Para badminton Committee.
    The Commission focuses on rules and regulations, medical and classification and procedures around Para badminton tournaments.
    The Commission members are appointed by the BWF Council. Commission members have expertise in key areas of Para badminton including:
  • Technical – rules and regulations
  • Medical and Classifications
  • Anti-doping
  • Events and Competitions
  • Officiating
  • Development
  • Administration of Para badminton
    • The work of the Commission is guided by its Terms of Reference which is approved by Council.

    Chair
    2011 – today Paul Kurzo / Switzerland

    Deputy Chair
    2011 – 2012 Torsten Berg / Denmark
    2013 – 2021 Wayne Somers / Canada
    2021 - today Pilar Carrillo / Peru

    Head of Classification
    2012 – 2020 Dr. Silvia Albrecht / Switzerland
    2021 – today Dr. Shamsul Azar Shah / Malaysia

    Medical Officer
    2012 – 2020 Dr. Shamsul Azar Shah / Malaysia
    2021 – today Dr. Komwudh Konchalard (Bird) / Thailand
    2023 – today Dr. Syamsul Rizal / Malaysia
    2023 – today Rebecca Bailey / England

    Technical Officer (2 person)
    2012 – today Günter Klützke / Germany
    2012 – 2021 Torsten Berg / Denmark

    Development Officer
    2012 – today Lyndon Williams / Wales

    Athletes Commission Chair (before it was called athletes' representative)
    2013 – 2013 Eyal Bechar / Israel
    2013 – today Richard Perot / France

    Athletes Commission Deputy Chair
    2013 – 2017 Yau Tiam Ann / Malaysia
    2017 – today Raul Anguiano / Guatemala


    BWF Para Badminton Athletes Commission
    The role of the Para badminton Athletes’ Commission is to:
  • liaise with players, organise players meetings at tournaments and canvas their views and opinions on rules and regulations, development and direction of Para badminton.
  • represent the views of Para badminton athletes at Para badminton Commission meetings through its representatives;
  • report back to the players on outcomes of meetings and representations made at the Para badminton Commission meetings
    • The Chair and Deputy Chair of the BWF Para badminton Athletes’ Commission sit on the BWF Para badminton Commission. The BWF Para badminton Commission provides expert advice to the BWF on the training, development and competition needs of those participating and competing in Para badminton.

    Athletes Commission Deputy Chair
    2013 – 2017 Yau Tiam Ann / Malaysia
    2017 – today Raul Anguiano / Guatemala

    Before the introduction of the Athlete Commission, there was for a short time an Athlete Representative in the Para Badminton Commission.

    2012 – 2013 Eyal Bechar / Israel

    1st Athletes Commission was elected during WC 2013 in Dortmund / Germany
    2nd Athletes Commission was elected during WC 2017 in Ulsan / South Korea
    3rd Athletes Commission were conducted electronically. “Registered voters» were allowed to take part

    Athletes Commission Chair
    2013 – today Richard Perot / France

    Athletes Commission Deputy Chair
    2013 – 2017 Yau Tiam Ann / Malaysia
    2017 – today Raul Anguiano / Guatemala

    Athletes Commission Members
    2013 – 2017 Antony Forster / England
    2013 – 2017 Martin Rooke / England
    2017 – 2021 Anand Kumar / India
    2017 – 2021 Bello Rafiu Oyebanji / Nigeria
    2017 – Today Daniel Chan / Hong Kong
    2021 - Today Amy Burnett / USA
    2021 - Today Cathrine Rosengren / Denmark
    2021 - Today TO Man-Kei / Belgium