Today the Badminton World Federation (BWF) has released an update on it’s much anticipated AirBadminton Project. Badminton Australia is excited to gain access to the shuttles as it will no doubt make playing badminton even more accessible for more Australians. See below for the full update on AirBadminton and its prospects for release across 2020!
Dear Members and Continental Confederations
Please find attached a letter from the BWF President, Poul-Erik Høyer and an update on the AirBadminton Project.
1. PROJECT UPDATE
We are happy to announce that BWF has signed an agreement with a manufacturer based in Chinese Taipei for the mass production of the AirShuttle. The production process has already begun and the first batch of AirShuttles will be available in March 2020.
With the AirShuttle on the market, we look forward to working closely with the Continental Confederations and Member Associations to implement and spread the project globally.
Samples of the AirShuttle will be made available to Member Associations who express interest in organising a pilot AirBadminton activity.
BWF will do its best to accommodate AirShuttle requests according to countries. However, please note that allocation will be confirmed based on availability. Additional AirShuttles will be available for purchase from manufacturers after March.
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2. LATEST AIRBADMINTON ACTIVITIES
In 2019, the BWF, in collaboration with Member Associations, ran AirBadminton activities that enabled us to finetune relevant aspects of the game, as well as further test the performance of the AirShuttle.
During the summer, Badminton Nederland ran a number of AirBadminton activities across the country. The rollout was an opportunity to introduce the new outdoor game to different cities, as well as promote the health benefits of badminton to local communities. The initiative was very well received by participants, spectators and local city authorities. Badminton Nederland is already planning to repeat the experience in 2020.
A video from the event can be watched here.
In August, a pilot AirBadminton competition was organised at the Sunsets Kuopio Festival – the largest outdoor sport and entertainment event in Finland. The event was conducted in collaboration with Badminton Finland and Savon Sulka Club. More than 60 players from all over Finland participated in the three-day tournament, which showcased 108 exciting matches in all categories: men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, mixed doubles, and the new triples format.
A video from the event can be watched here.
Last October, the Dubai Sports Council hosted an AirBadminton competition as part of the Dubai International Challenge 2019. It was an opportunity for the BWF to validate equipment, regulations and competition formats.
A video from the event can be watched here.
Also, in October, the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) conducted an AirBadminton exhibition in conjunction with Malaysia’s National Sports Month.
In November, Maldives introduced the AirBadminton project during its first Beach Games. The AirBadminton exhibition aimed at targeting sport and tourism partners to implement the new game in islands resorts. Also, in November, the Singapore Badminton Association ran an AirBadminton event alongside the Singapore Youth International Series 2019.
A video from the event can be watched here.
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3. HSBC BWF AIRBADMINTON COMMUNITY PROJECT LAUNCH
BWF and HSBC jointly launched the AirBadminton Community Project at the Tianhe Gymnasium in Guangzhou, China in December. This project was facilitated by our local partners Guangzhou Sports Bureau and Guangzhou Badminton Association.
Following the successful launch of AirBadminton in Guangzhou in May, BWF together with its Global Development Partner HSBC and Guangzhou Sports Bureau, announced the delivery of a number of permanent AirBadminton courts on various surfaces for public usage as part of the community outreach programme.
The first of these courts were unveiled at a special exhibition near the Tianhe Gymnasium in Guangzhou, China, in conjunction with the HSBC BWF World Tour Finals.
A video from the launch can be watched here.
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4. 2020 – 2024 BWF Strategic Plan – AirBadminton
Will include the following elements as priorities:
- Systematic implement AirBadminton globally, focussing on the development of courts in public outdoor spaces to facilitate participation.
- Permanent courts being developed as legacy in conjunction with international events.
- Develop national structures, including competition, to assist in promoting the game as a healthy outdoor activity.
- Build partnerships and networks to assist the growth and implementation of projects.
- Work with brands and retailers to ensure the AirShuttle and associated equipment is available globally at an affordable price.
- CCs to have AirBadminton as an integral part of their development strategy.
- Further research into the specific health benefits of AirBadminton.
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** END**
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