Every sport has a global governing body of its own. And the Badminton World Federation (BWF) is the guardian of badminton at the highest level.
Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the BWF has a huge responsibility of regulating the sport well. But it’s not just limited to that. They have some more things on their plate.
And in this article, we’ll glance at the role of BWF, from regulating the sport to developing it across the world.
Collaborating with Members and Regional Confederations
There are 201 member associations affiliated with the BWF and divided into five regional confederations. The BWF works in close association with all its members and regional confederations to regulate, promote, and develop badminton across the globe.
The governing body provides financial support to its members to develop the sport at grassroots levels. Apart from that, the BWF helps to implement development programmes that not just cover the players but coaches also.
Organising Major Badminton Tournaments
The major responsibility of any global sports federation is to organise tournaments. And the BWF is no exception to this.
They partner with its members to organise some of the premier badminton tournaments across the world. The major tournaments include the BWF World Championships, Thomas, Uber, & Sudirman Cups, and the BWF World Tour.
By working with members, the BWF makes sure that the events go well without any technical issues. Plus, they want to deliver the events to the millions of fans as star shuttlers battle out on courts.
Regulating the Sport
BWF’s task doesn’t end with organising the major event. They also need to regulate the sport.
The BWF has the final say on approving international tournaments. And they make sure that the events happen within the set rules and regulations. Apart from that, they also review the rules surrounding badminton on a regular basis.
Developing Para-Badminton
Since taking para-badminton under its wing in 2011, the BWF has been working with members to promote and develop it. They organise training camps and workshops for para shuttlers and coaches.
The BWF also works on forming the rules and promoting para-badminton to reach a wider audience.
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