June 29, 2024
A determined effort by Brazilian Badminton Federation to increase participation in Para badminton among younger players was honoured by BWF with the Inclusion Award.
This award recognises a Member Association which has successfully developed and delivered programmes which address the area of inclusion.
Addressing Shortcomings
Brazil has enjoyed success at regional, international and Paralympic levels. However, despite a large player base, the federation recognised that Para badminton needed to attract younger athletes, as the average age of the national team was over 35.
To encourage younger athletes, the federation established the Diego Mota Under-23 Para Badminton Championships, named after a Brazilian Para badminton Classifier who passed away in a vehicle accident in 2020. The championships showcase the best of inclusive practices; they are played in the same venue and at the same time as the senior championships, allowing eligible players to compete in both and familiarise themselves with higher levels of competition. Participation in this tournament also enables Paralympic medallists to apply for a national government scholarship for all sports (“Bolsa Atleta”) – 25 Para badminton players are eligible for this annual scholarship of US$2200.
Impact
The tournament has run for three years. In its first edition in 2021, there were 19 under-23 athletes. At the last edition in 2023, the number grew to 35. In total, 54 U-23 athletes have competed in at least one national event.
Several young athletes are now competing nationally and internationally. The last Para Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, saw five Brazilian U-23 medallists, with the team winning three gold, two silver and one bronze. The youngest among them was Kauana Beckenkamp, just 14 years old, who won silver in women’s singles SL3.
‘Inclusion in Everything’
Receiving the award on behalf of the Brazilian Badminton Federation, its President Jose Roberto Santini Campos, said: “It’s a great honour for me to receive this award and I believe our federation deserves this as we have more than 400,000 participants and more than 5,000 athletes and I’m honoured to receive this on their behalf. Inclusion is not only the organisation of such events… in Brazil we take Inclusion as a thing of many factors. Inclusion is not only about badminton or Para badminton; Inclusion is in everything; so that’s why, in Brazil, we share with everyone, we include everyone.”
