Last month, in conjunction with the BAHRAIN BWF Para Badminton World Championships 2026 in Manama, Bahrain, a special development initiative was conducted to support the integration of active and retired Para badminton players into broader roles within the sport.
From 6-9 February, three participants – Chilean Nicolas Gutierrez (SU5), Croatian Vanda Alfirevic (SL3 and Austrian Cedric Kapfenberger (WH1) – gained first-hand insight into how international events are structured and delivered. The trio were selected from a pool of 10 applicants representing six countries.
Through the programme, they observed the coordination between different functional areas and the precision required at every stage to successfully stage an event of the World Championships’ scale.
“I never imagined I would be involved in Para badminton from so many perspectives – not only as an athlete but also as a sports manager observing the internal and external dynamics of an international event. It expanded my understanding of the sport and allowed me to see how governance, technical operations, classification, officiating and logistics come together at the highest level. Experiencing that environment motivated me even more to continue developing as an athlete and to contribute to the sport’s growth in Chile.” – Gutierrez
Sixteen applications from nine countries were received for this workshop. From 8-10 February, five selected participants were introduced to what a potential career in badminton officiating could look like.
Over the three-day programme, participants served as line judges for selected matches while also learning about the BWF Technical Officials pathway. At the conclusion of the workshop, participants emphasised the importance of such initiatives in providing players with alternative career pathways and long-term opportunities within the sport.
“I’ve loved my time here and benefitted so much from this experience. I’ve gained confidence and I can now share my knowledge with people back home. It’s good for players to have this as a career option. I’m thankful to BWF for this opportunity.” – Stellah Jongwe (WH1), Zimbabwe
“This is hopefully the beginning of something new for me. I really enjoyed my experience officiating and I want to continue doing this for a long time. I don’t have a reason to stop now.”- Ahmed Karam Ibrahim Elhedek (SU5), Egypt
These initiatives highlight BWF’s continued commitment to empowering Para badminton athletes with opportunities beyond competition – fostering leadership, officiating pathways and deeper engagement with the sport’s global ecosystem.
