Switzerland to host able-bodied and para world meets simultaneously

PETALING JAYA: Switzerland will be the first nation to host the World Badminton Championships for both the able-bodied and para shuttlers at the same time.

The two world meets will be held concurrently in Basel in 2019.

“This is a momentous occasion for BWF and Swiss Badminton – and indeed for the development of our sport and our athletes; bringing able-bodied athletes and athletes with impairments together to showcase their talents under the same roof with their World Championships being held at the same time,” said Badminton World Federation (BWF) president PoulErik Hoyer in a press statement on the world body’s website after a council meeting in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Para badminton has been included as an Olympic sport for the first time and will make its debut at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

“It will be something special and amazing to see and we must congratulate Swiss Badminton on their innovative and ambitious thinking. They have convinced us – the BWF Council – that they can deliver these tournaments to world-class standards.”

This year, the World Championships for the able-bodied shut- tlers was held in Glasgow, Scotland, in August while the BWF- Para World Badminton Championships will begin in Ulsan, South Korea, today.

Malaysia are represented by five Podium Programme athletes – Bakri Omar (pic) (singles SL4), Cheah Liek Hou (singles SU5), Hairulfozi Saaba (doubles SU5), Madzlan Saibon (singles WH2) and Didin Terasoh (singles SS6).