OCTOBERSHUTTL 2020 / EDITION NO. 31 E WORLD MEN’S SINGLES ANDERS ANTONSEN DENMARK WOMEN’S SINGLES NOZOMI OKUHARA MEN’S DOUBLES JAPAN MARCUS ELLIS/ CHRIS LANGRIDGE ENGLAND MIXED DOUBLES MARK LAMSFUSS/ WOMEN’S DOUBLES ISABEL HERTTRICH YUKI FUKUSHIMA/ GERMANY SAYAKA HIROTA JAPAN WHATWHATWHAT AAA GLORIOUS SIGHT!SEE PAGE 6 GLORIOUSGLORIOUS SIGHT!SIGHT!> PAGE 2 PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Badminton’s COVID-19 Blueprint It has been a frustrating time for all. Not least understandable personal concerns about for our athletes. COVID-19, placed us in a very difficult The recent staging of situation. As I said during BWF’s Virtual Press the DANISA Denmark Conference in late September: “There’s Open 2020 identified Understandably, this caused much frustration nothing more I want than to see badminton – cries for concern that we heard and shared players back on the court. Everything that we that badminton at the BWF. At the end of the day, it is this do is for the players and we have tried our best tournaments can passion from the players that drives the sport. to get badminton tournaments back safely.” be played in safe On a positive note, the recent staging of the It was with great disappointment then that environments during DANISA Denmark Open 2020 identified that we had to make that very tough decision to these COVID-19 times. badminton tournaments can be played in safe postpone once again the TOTAL BWF Thomas environments during these COVID-19 times. and Uber Cup Finals 2020. to Denmark for tournaments in Aarhus and Odense. We thank the many of you who stuck by us The stark reality was that we had to respect and showed patience as we worked towards the decision of a number of teams and The logistical difficulties and commercial individual players who elected not to travel complexities that faced us, mixed with Continued on Page 3 www.bwfbadminton.com PAGE 3 Continued from Page 2 this eventual return. It has always been our priority back-to-back tournaments in Bangkok, Thailand in includes our Para badminton circuit. to ensure badminton remains relevant and to January 2021 as part of Asian leg of the adjusted protect the livelihoods of international badminton HSBC BWF World Tour. It’s vital that we frequently assess the landscape players. and start envisaging what badminton will look like These will be two Super 1000 tournaments plus in three months, six months, 12 months and even Our solutions for badminton’s return included the HSBC BWF World Tour Finals, and will form the beyond that time. going to extreme lengths to preserve the conclusion to the new-look HSBC World Tour health and safety of all participants such as 2020 calendar. As we near the end of what has been one of, if not, implementing a bubble system to create a safe the most turbulent year in BWF’s history, I implore badminton ecosystem and putting in place a I would personally like to thank my colleague BWF everyone in the badminton community to stick robust testing process onsite at venues to protect Deputy President, Madame KhunyingPatama together and continue working as one team. all participants from contracting COVID-19 Leeswadtrakul, for her diligence and hard-working at tournaments. efforts on collaborating with the Government of The relationship between the BWF, the BWF Thailand, BWF and other stakeholders to make Council, our Continental Confederations, the As the Denmark Open proved, these best efforts this happen. Member Associations and all players and can and have created safe environments for participants in the sport is essential. May we all players and key personnel to participate. Credit for Thailand has organised major events in the past come out stronger and strive towards delivering this must also go to Badminton Denmark for their and I am confident that the Badminton Association more of what we do best – badminton to the world. leadership and cooperation in making of Thailand and the Government of Thailand will this possible. deliver a spectacular and successful cluster of badminton events. Moving forward, we now have a clear roadmap for delivering international badminton once again and Importantly, beyond the Asian leg in Bangkok, we are excited to implement such thorough measures are working tirelessly to establish clear solutions at more tournaments, starting with the three to deliver a full calendar for the rest of 2021. This Poul-Erik Høyer Published by Badminton World Federation Text: Dev Sukumar, Dianne Pierre, Lloyd Green and Prem Kumar Design: Ahmad Hafidz Images: BadmintonPhoto October 2020 www.bwfbadminton.com PAGE 4 The Nitty-Gritty of Badminton’s Return When the prize ceremony concluded for the In addressing the world’s media at BWF’s first final match at the DANISA Denmark Open TOURNAMENT Virtual Press Conference on 29 September 2020, there was celebration, and also relief. SCHEDULE 2020, BWF Secretary General Thomas Lund The success of the HSBC BWF World Tour acknowledged the support and contribution Super 750 tournament in Odense was a special of the Badminton Association of Thailand and accomplishment in COVID-19-affected times, the Government of Thailand in committing Asia Open I (Super 1000) and provided a pathway for the conduct of to this important step as part of the restart 12-17 January 2021 future tournaments, particularly the three- of international badminton tournaments. tournament Asian leg scheduled as the finale Asia Open II (Super 1000) to the HSBC BWF World Tour 2020 season in 19-24 January 2021 January 2021. “A big thank you must HSBC BWF go to the Badminton The Asian Leg World Tour Finals 2020 27-31 January 2021 Association of Thailand On 25 September 2020, following a Council and the Government of meeting, BWF announced that the Asian leg Thailand for making the of the HSBC BWF World Tour, consisting of two Super 1000 tournaments and the HSBC BWF Badminton World Federation and Badminton Asian leg possible. We look World Tour Finals, would be held in Bangkok in Association of Thailand, in collaboration forward to working with our January 2021. with the Government of Thailand, completed hosts and all participating a feasibility study to ensure all parties can teams and players in The idea behind setting up this cluster of three provide a safe COVID-19 framework to back-to-back tournaments in the same city was stage the three tournaments. The study making this a success.” to keep all the players and key personnel in a concluded Thailand to be the agreed host safety bubble. of the three-tournament Asian leg. Continued on Page 5 www.bwfbadminton.com PAGE 5 Continued from Page 4 BWF, Badminton Association of Thailand and the Government of Thailand are currently in thorough planning discussions to ensure that the safety and logistical measures being set in place will be well-received by players, their entourage, stakeholders and all participants. More details will be revealed in due course. Safety-First Approach The DANISA Denmark Open 2020 was the first instance in badminton of the implementation of the safety bubble to shield competitors and core tournament personnel from direct contact with the outside world; and within the competition space, to minimise interaction and negate the risk of transmission of COVID-19. Before the event, BWF and Badminton Denmark Journalists who were not tested could only As with the above events, the seedings and published a number of key documents for interact with players through a virtual station. draws for the Asian leg will be based on the all participants outlining relevant health and frozen World Rankings of 17 March 2020. safety protocols. These were devised based on These measures will become a blueprint for recommendations from the Danish government, COVID-19 best practices moving forward. Unlike past season finales, reigning world health authorities and host organisers. champions will not receive an automatic invitation. Rankings and Qualification Further, those who seek qualification must The bubble system included testing of all participate in both Asia Open I and Asia Open II. participants and core personnel upon arrival One of the complications arising out of the in Odense; separate access areas and suspension of the circuit was the question of With the experience of having conducted a successful entrance and exit points for participants away World Rankings and qualification for the HSBC Denmark Open, BWF is well prepared for a smooth from those of spectators, VIPs and non-vital BWF World Tour Finals. The rankings were conduct of the three events in the Asian leg. personnel; temperature checks upon arrival frozen in the week after the All England. at venue; and QR-coded tracking at entry and exit points to monitor movement. In October, BWF announced that ranking points would be awarded for the four BWF World Junior On court, players received shuttles from tournaments held during the restart of the Championships dispensers placed courtside, while badminton season in 2020: Denmark Open, service and line judges wore masks. SaarLorLux Open; Latvia International and Cancelled Bulgarian International Championship. Social distancing was adhered to at all times – The ranking points would be applied only Ongoing COVID-19 restrictions and including in the interview area, which had screens after unfreezing of the World Rankings, the uncertainty have forced BWF, Badminton New between players and (pre-tested) interviewers. date for which is yet to be determined. Zealand and tournament organisers to cancel the BARFOOT & THOMPSON BWF World Junior Championships 2020. However, Badminton New Zealand are still committed to hosting the BWF World Junior Championships and the BWF have accepted a proposal for them to stage the 2024 edition as a replacement. BWF does appreciate that some junior players will turn 19 years old in 2021 and miss out on a BWF World Junior Championships experience.