{"id":13712,"date":"2025-05-08T08:00:57","date_gmt":"2025-05-08T01:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/development.bwfbadminton.com\/?p=13712"},"modified":"2025-05-13T13:21:55","modified_gmt":"2025-05-13T06:21:55","slug":"playing-badminton-taught-me-about-winning-and-losing-and-gave-me-the-motivation-to-win-in-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/development.bwfbadminton.com\/es\/whats-new\/playing-badminton-taught-me-about-winning-and-losing-and-gave-me-the-motivation-to-win-in-life","title":{"rendered":"Playing Badminton Taught Me About Winning and Losing and Gave Me the Motivation to Win in Life"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The BWF hosted their Members\u2019 Forum and Annual General Meeting on 25-26 April in Xiamen, China, bringing together global leaders of the badminton community to discuss and build on the power of inclusive badminton and the progression of the sport worldwide.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This year, the meeting\u2019s theme was <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Inclusive, Innovative, and Sustainable Sport-Positive Impact Towards a Better Future<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> \u2013 a field Special Olympics knows well.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Jonathan Deering, a Special Olympics badminton player and Health Messenger from Ireland, delivered a speech at the Members\u2019 Forum on Friday afternoon with this theme in mind, speaking on the effects of playing badminton has had on him as well as those with intellectual disabilities (ID).<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">To an assembly of more than 250+ presidents and secretary generals from badminton associations from around the world, Jonathan shared:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cBadminton has helped me build lasting friendships with my fellow athletes in my local club and community. Being a competitive athlete has taught me how to deal with the highs and lows of winning and losing\u2014and from those experiences, I found the motivation and confidence to pursue a job I love.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As Jonathan continued his speech, he urged the assembly to use their voices, platforms, and the power of inclusive sport to make a difference in the world, \u201cBadminton has changed my life! It has given me confidence, friendships, and countless unforgettable moments. I encourage you all to help give another person with an intellectual disability, the same opportunity as I have had.\u201d<\/span> [vc_single_image image=&#8221;13714&#8243; img_size=&#8221;large&#8221; add_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221;][vc_video link=&#8221;https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=xTEjIFApFMs&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221;][vc_gallery type=&#8221;image_grid&#8221; images=&#8221;13714,13716,13722,13721,13713&#8243;][vc_column_text]During the <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/development.bwfbadminton.com\/whats-new\/sowg2019\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019<\/a><\/strong><\/span>, Special Olympics and the BWF renewed their Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signifying their collective commitment to increasing inclusion and accessibility of badminton for more athletes.<\/p>\n<p>BWF has aided in this plan by providing high-quality training opportunities for Special Olympics badminton athletes, identifying best practices and educational resources for athletes with IDD to compete in sport, and providing insight and leadership in the sport of badminton.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=&#8221;4254&#8243; img_size=&#8221;large&#8221; add_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221;][vc_column_text]The two launched the <a href=\"https:\/\/development.bwfbadminton.com\/whats-new\/bwf-and-special-olympics-international-publish-global-development-strategy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>2020-2024 BWF-SOI Global Badminton Development Plan<\/strong><\/span><\/a> accomplishing:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>22 new Special Olympics programs (countries) offering badminton as a sport for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/corporate.bwfbadminton.com\/news-single\/2023\/09\/07\/special-olympics-world-games-berlin-2023-post-games-report\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023<\/a><\/strong><\/span> saw its largest competition of badminton ever on the global stage, with more than 200 players with intellectual disabilities and their Unified playing partners taking part<\/li>\n<li>The creation of a <span style=\"color: #003366;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/youtube.com\/playlist?list=PLIHbm7j-AXsWCGIjun15a3U2-wVyCtrF_\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">new badminton divisioning assessment tool<\/a><\/span>,<\/strong><\/span> which is used to ensure competition level matching where athletes are grouped by age, gender and ability \u2013 giving everyone a reasonable chance to win and the best possibility to perform. This new divisioning tool helps establish stronger competition quality at Special Olympics events and has been made available to Special Olympics national programs in seven languages.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/development.bwfbadminton.com\/whats-new\/bwf-and-special-olympics-host-first-ever-federation-led-education-and-competition-event\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Inaugural joint training<\/strong><\/span><\/a> delivered to develop technical delegates and Unified sport delegates \u2013 16 representatives from across all seven Special Olympics regions and five badminton continental confederations took part.<\/li>\n<li>More than 100 Shuttle Time Equipment kits have been provided to Special Olympics national programs ensuring Special Olympics badminton players have access to quality badminton equipment<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=&#8221;13727&#8243; img_size=&#8221;large&#8221; add_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221;][vc_column_text]<span data-contrast=\"auto\">In 2024, Special Olympics had 137,843 badminton athletes playing, training and competing worldwide \u2013 43% female and 57% male \u2013 with Special Olympics East Asia leading the charge regionally with over 96,200 badminton athletes across their 6 national programs (China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Korea, Macau, and Mongolia).\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Globally, the numbers of Special Olympics badminton players continue to grow with an additional 2,653<\/span> <span data-contrast=\"auto\">new players picking up a badminton racket during 2023. One of the key drivers of this being the Special Olympics World Games in Berlin in 2023 and the quality of the badminton competition at the Games.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=&#8221;13733&#8243; img_size=&#8221;large&#8221; add_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221;][vc_column_text]<span data-contrast=\"auto\">At the forum, Mrs. Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul was named as the new BWF President. In 2023, in her former position as Deputy President of the BWF Council, Mrs. Leeswadtrakul attended the Games in Berlin. As a longtime supporter of Special Olympics Thailand, her home country, she saw the importance of being in person to support and cheer on all Special Olympics badminton athletes during Games.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=&#8221;13716&#8243; img_size=&#8221;large&#8221; add_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221;][vc_column_text]<span data-contrast=\"auto\">Also in attendance at the <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Members\u2019 Forum was Vice President of Sport Development for Special Olympics International, Jon-Paul St. Germain.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Jon-Paul St. Germain, along with John Shearer, BWF\u2019s Head of Continental Development; Fern Gilders, BWF\u2019s Head of Tournament Development; Wojtek Czyz, four-time Paralympian; and Wang Yihan, Special Olympics Ambassador, and Olympic and World medalist, were all part of a panel discussion, Inclusive Badminton: Spotlight on Para Badminton &amp; Special Olympics.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The discussion between the five experts focused on the steps needed to meaningfully create more opportunities for inclusive badminton to grow around the world.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Addressing the panel and audience, Special Olympics\u2019 Jon-Paul St. Germain spoke about the positive impacts the partnership between the BWF and Special Olympics has made over the course of the past six years, calling on those yet to embrace the rise of inclusive badminton to do.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cWhether you are a federation leader, a coach, or an advocate\u2026 take the next step in making badminton more inclusive in your country.\u202fOpen your doors to athletes with intellectual disabilities and partner with Special Olympics. Invite us in, and help us play, grow, and belong.<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The BWF hosted their Members\u2019 Forum and Annual General Meeting on 25-26 April in Xiamen, China, bringing together global leaders of the badminton community to discuss and build on the power of inclusive badminton and the progression of the sport worldwide.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2630,"featured_media":13716,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[294],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13712","post","type-post","status-publish","format-image","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-whats-new","post_format-post-format-image"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/development.bwfbadminton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13712","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/development.bwfbadminton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/development.bwfbadminton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/development.bwfbadminton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2630"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/development.bwfbadminton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13712"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/development.bwfbadminton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13712\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13731,"href":"https:\/\/development.bwfbadminton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13712\/revisions\/13731"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/development.bwfbadminton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13716"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/development.bwfbadminton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13712"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/development.bwfbadminton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13712"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/development.bwfbadminton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13712"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}