Friday, 20 Sep 2024

BWF News

Badminton Secures its Place in Tokyo 2020 Olympics

Badminton has been officially confirmed as one of the 25 core sports for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The decision was made by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) during their 125th session in Buenos Aires, Argentina. This announcement comes just a day after Tokyo won the bid to host the 2020 Summer Olympics.

The list of core sports, proposed by the IOC Executive Board in February, includes a wide range of disciplines such as athletics, rowing, basketball, fencing, and of course, badminton. Badminton’s inclusion as a core sport is seen as a vote of confidence in the sport by the IOC membership.

“We are pleased that badminton has maintained its place as a core sport on the Summer Olympics program,” said Poul-Erik Høyer, the President of the Badminton World Federation (BWF). “This is a vote of confidence in badminton by the IOC membership, and it shows that we are moving in the right direction.”

Høyer also highlighted the growing popularity of badminton, as well as its increasing prominence as a sports-entertainment commodity and its commercial revenues. The BWF has been working diligently to develop and promote badminton at all levels, and this recognition by the IOC is a testament to their efforts.

In addition to badminton, several other sports were also confirmed as core sports for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. These sports include athletics, rowing, basketball, boxing, canoeing, cycling, equestrian, fencing, football, gymnastics, weightlifting, handball, hockey, judo, aquatics, modern pentathlon, taekwondo, tennis, table tennis, shooting, archery, triathlon, sailing, and volleyball.

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Notably, wrestling also won its battle to remain in the Summer Olympics. Wrestling, which was previously removed as a core sport, will now be included as an additional sport for the 2020 and 2024 Olympics.

The BWF President expressed his commitment to strengthening badminton’s Olympic status and making it a top-ten sport in the Summer Olympics. He noted that the recent elevation of badminton to the third tier of Olympic sports is a clear indication of the sport’s increasing success.

As badminton continues to thrive, the BWF stands to benefit financially as well. The recategorization of badminton means that the BWF will earn more from the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and future Olympics.

In conclusion, the inclusion of badminton as a core sport in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics is a significant achievement for the sport and a testament to its growing popularity. The BWF’s dedication to promoting badminton and its efforts to strengthen its Olympic status have paid off. This recognition by the IOC will not only boost the sport’s international profile but also provide greater financial opportunities for the BWF.