Badminton World Federation

{{Infobox organization

| name = Badminton World Federation

| image = 2012 BWF logo.svg

| size = 210px

| caption =

| abbreviation = BWF

| formation = {{start date and age|1934|07|05|df=y}}

| founding_location = Cheltenham, England

| type = Sports federation

| headquarters = Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

| membership = 201 member associations

| leader_title = President

| leader_name = Poul-Erik Høyer Larsen

| revenue = US$6.9 million{{cite web|url=https://www.thesportsexaminer.com/lane-one-whos-in-the-money-exclusive-analysis-of-our-survey-of-international-federation-finances/|title=Who's in the money? EXCLUSIVE analysis of our survey of International Federation finances|work= The Sports Examiner|first=Rich|last=Perelman|date=24 May 2020|access-date=5 June 2022}}

| revenue_year = 2023

| expenses = US$28.27 million

| expenses_year = 2019

| website = {{official URL}}

}}

The Badminton World Federation, aka BWF, is the international governing body for the sport of badminton approved by the International Olympic Committee. It was founded on 5 July 1934 as the International Badminton Federation with nine member nations: Canada, Denmark, England, France, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Scotland and Wales. In 1981, the IBF merged with the World Badminton Federation, and on 24 September 2006, at the Extraordinary General Meeting in Madrid, the name of the organization was changed to Badminton World Federation.{{cite news|title=Madrid Welcomes Badminton World Federation |url=http://www.badmintonasia.org/newspage.aspx?newsID=141 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120728111055/http://www.badmintonasia.org/newspage.aspx?newsID=141 |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 July 2012 |access-date=11 March 2012 |newspaper=BadmintonAsia.org |date=29 September 2006 }}

When the BWF was founded, its head office was located in Cheltenham, UK. It was then relocated to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on October 1, 2005.{{cite web|title=BWF Council / Executive Board|url=http://bwfbadminton.org/page.aspx?id=14873|publisher=BWF|access-date=11 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100814200011/http://www.bwfbadminton.org/page.aspx?id=14873|archive-date=14 August 2010|url-status=dead}} Poul-Erik Høyer Larsen is the current president.{{cite news|last=Leung|first=Edwin|title=Poul-Erik Hoyer Wins BWF Presidential Election|url=http://bwfbadminton.org/news_item.aspx?id=73896|access-date=18 May 2013|newspaper=Badminton World Federation|date=18 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130609013051/http://www.bwfbadminton.org/news_item.aspx?id=73896|archive-date=9 June 2013|url-status=dead}} The BWF has 201 member nations around the world, organized into 5 continental confederations.{{cite web|url=https://corporate.bwfbadminton.com/about/membership/|title=BWF–Memberships|work= BWF|access-date=1 September 2024}}

Continental federations

Image:International Badminton Federation member nations.svg

The BWF works in co-operation with regional governing bodies to promote and develop the sport of badminton around the world, they are:{{cite web|title=BWF Members by Continental Confederation|url=http://bwfbadminton.org/page.aspx?id=14892|publisher=BWF|access-date=11 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100814200432/http://www.bwfbadminton.org/page.aspx?id=14892|archive-date=14 August 2010|url-status=dead}}

class=wikitable

!colspan=2|Region

!Confederation

!Members

style="background-color:red"|

|Asia

|Badminton Asia (BA)

|align=right|43

style="background-color:yellow;"|

|Europe

|Badminton Europe (BE)

|align=right|54

style="background-color:blue;"|

|Americas

|Badminton Pan America (BPA)

|align=right|37

style="background-color:lime;"|

|Africa

|Badminton Africa

|align=right|44

style="background-color:purple;"|

|Oceania

|Badminton Oceania (BO)

|align=right|16

colspan=3|Total

|align=right|194

Presidents

Below is the list of presidents since 1934:{{cite web|title=IBF/BWF Office Baerers (since 1934)|url=http://bwfbadminton.org/file_download.aspx?id=35886|publisher=BWF|access-date=11 March 2012}}{{Dead link|date=June 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

class="wikitable"

!align=center|No.

!align=center|Years

!align=center|Name

!align=center|Country

|1934–1955

|George Alan Thomas

|{{GBR}}

|1955–1957

|John Plunkett-Dillon

|{{IRL}}

|1957–1959

|Brigadier Bruce Hay

|{{GBR}}

|1959–1961

|A. C. J. van Vossen

|{{NED}}

|1961–1963

|John McCallum

|{{IRL}}

|1963–1965

|Nils Peder Kristensen

|{{DEN}}

|1965–1969

|David Bloomer

|{{GBR}}

|1969–1971

|Humphrey Chilton

|{{GBR}}

|1971–1974

|Ferry Sonneville

|{{INA}}

|1974–1976

|Stuart Wyatt

|{{GBR}}

|1976–1981

|Stellan Mohlin

|{{SWE}}

|1981–1984

|Craig Reedie

|{{GBR}}

|1984–1986

|Poul-Erik Nielsen

|{{DEN}}

|1986–1990

|Ian Palmer

|{{NZL}}

|1990–1993

|Arthur Jones

|{{GBR}}

|1993–2001

|Lu Shengrong

|{{CHN}}

|2001–2005

|Korn Dabbaransi

|{{THA}}

|2005–2013

|Kang Young-Joong

|{{KOR}}

|2013–

|Poul-Erik Høyer Larsen

|{{DEN}}

Rankings

The BWF World Ranking and BWF World Junior Ranking are introduced to determine the strength of the players. BWF World Ranking is used for determining the qualification for entry and seeding for the BWF-sanctioned tournament. The points awarded is based on the final results of each tournament participated for the past 52 weeks. Junior Ranking consists of players under 19 years old.

Tournaments

=Grade 1 (S-Tier)=

The BWF regularly organises seven major international badminton events and two events for para-badminton:

Major tournaments:

BWF World Championships
Thomas Cup
Uber Cup
Sudirman Cup
Olympic Games in co-operation with International Olympic Committee

Other major tournaments:

BWF World Junior Championships
BWF World Senior Championships{{cite web|title=World Senior Championships|url=http://bwfcorporate.com/events/world-senior-championships/|website=Badminton World Federation|access-date=23 February 2017}}

Para major tournaments:

Para-Badminton World Championships
Paralympic Games in co-operation with International Paralympic Committee (sports added since Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games)

Event(s) are no longer held regularly:

World Cup was suspended since 1997. However, the BWF revived the event in 2005 (with China as host) but only as an invitational tournament. China swept gold in all 5 categories.

=Grade 2 (A-Tier)=

Grade 2 tournaments, known as BWF World Tour was sanctioned into six levels with different world ranking points awarded, as order they are:

Level 1: BWF World Tour Finals
Level 2: BWF World Tour Super 1000
Level 3: BWF World Tour Super 750
Level 4: BWF World Tour Super 500
Level 5: BWF World Tour Super 300
Level 6: BWF Tour Super 100

The events that were formerly held from 2007 to 2017 are:

=Grade 3 (B-Tier)=

Grade 3 tournaments, known as Continental Circuit was sanctioned into three levels with different world ranking points awarded, as order they are:

Awards

The BWF bestows special honours onto players, umpires, sponsors, and other individuals for their achievement in badminton or for their contributions to badminton.{{cite web|title=Awards|url=http://bwfbadminton.org/page.aspx?id=14867|publisher=BWF|access-date=11 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100814200358/http://www.bwfbadminton.org/page.aspx?id=14867|archive-date=14 August 2010|url-status=dead}}

Lifetime Achievement
Hall of Fame
Herbert Scheele Trophy
Distinguished Service
Meritorius Service
Certificate of Commendation
BWF Awards
Best Male and Female Player of the Year
Most Promising Player of the Year

Logo

Over the years, the organization has had several logos. Originally it used the IBF logo. As the BWF, a new logo was adopted in 2007.{{cite news|last=Lacroix|first=Yves|title=EXCLUSIVE – BWF Unveils New Logo Today|url=http://www.badzine.net/features/exclusive-bwf-unveils-new-logo-today/378/|access-date=11 March 2012|newspaper=Badzine|date=15 June 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304090329/http://www.badzine.net/features/exclusive-bwf-unveils-new-logo-today/378/|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}} In 2012 it adopted a new, streamlined logo.{{cite news|title=BWF rebrand and launch new logo: Modern, Strong, Efficient|url=http://bwfbadminton.org/news_item.aspx?id=63263|access-date=1 June 2012|newspaper=Badminton World Federation|date=26 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120528235213/http://www.bwfbadminton.org/news_item.aspx?id=63263|archive-date=28 May 2012|url-status=dead}}

File:2012 BWF logo.svg|BWF logo 2012–present

Aborted clothing rule

The BWF and Octagon developed a rule that women badminton players must wear dresses or skirts "to ensure attractive presentation." It was included in the official rulebook in 2011, but was dropped before it was supposed to go into effect in 2012.{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/badminton-skirts-rule_n_869099|title=In Badminton, Pants Are Back|date=31 May 2011|website=HuffPost}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/badminton-shelves-rule-requiring-women-wear-skirts-flna812049|title=Badminton shelves rule requiring women wear skirts|date=4 June 2012|website=NBC News}}