Welcome to the first edition of BWF e-News. This is a regular monthly update from the BWF Office for BWF members and stakeholders. BWF e-News highlights what's on for the month and directs readers to badminton events, activities and more information on the BWF website. Please forward to your networks in the badminton community -  BWF e-News editor.

Same Address - New Look  - 2008

The BWF has launched a new website with a new `look and feel'. The new site has a significantly more information for Members and uses from the world badminton community. This is Phase 1 of the re-development and in the next 12 months, the BWF website will grow with new areas and greater functionality. Watch this space ...more

2008 Proton Malaysia Super Series Underway

The first BWF Super Series for the year is underway in KL with the Day 1 of play in the main draw after a long day of qualifying rounds yesterday - draws and results pages. The entries highlight the fact that this is an Olympic Year with intense competition for world ranking points leading up to the end of the Olympic Qualifying Period on 30 April. The first Super Series sees the top 28 players in the world competing in KL together with 4 qualifiers in each discipline ...more

Equal Prize Money for Women & Men

The BWF has marked the second year of its Super Series by announcing equal prize money for men and women. In December, the BWF Council endorsed a proposal to have equal prize money for men and women in all BWF events as of 1 Jan 2008. "It's long overdue" said Anne Smillie, Chair of the BWF Sport Committee in welcoming the move - "They do it in tennis, with Wimbledon even falling into line with other Grand Slam events last year" she added ...more

Out of Competition Testing

The BWF Council approved in December additional funding to implement a more extensive drug testing program - particularly out-of-competition. Anti-doping education was also highlighted as critical - and not just for the top elite. The BWF is planning key anti-doping education initiatives and has enhanced its anti-doping information on the new BWF website  ...more

Olympic Games Opportunity for Line Judges

The BWF is calling for nominations for Line Judges to officiate at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games badminton competition from 9 - 17 August 2008. A total of 10 Line Judges will have the opportunity to be part of the biggest sporting event in 2008. The application form and more information is on the BWF website. NOTE - there is a new deadline for applications -  24 January 2008     ...more

BWF Strategic Plan (2008 - 2013)

The first draft of the BWF Strategic Plan (2008 - 2013) was completed in late 2007 and the BWF is inviting Continental Confederations and Members Associations to review the document and provide feedback. The BWF is looking for feedback on the plans 1) scope, 2) the objectives and 3) the Key performance indicators in the plan. The deadline for feedback is Friday 15 February. The plan will be finalized by the end of March and presented to the membership at the AGM in May  ...more

2008 Yonex Korea Open Super Series

The Yonex Korea Open gets underway next week in Seoul, 22 - 27 January.  Lin Dan (CHN) is back into the Super Series for 2008 after a break from the men's singles at this weeks Proton Malaysia Super Series in KL. See the BWF website for the seeding and draw   ...more

Congratulations - Technical Officials 2008

Congratulations to these Referees and Umpires who were assessed in 2007 and their qualifications upgraded.

BWF CERTIFICATED REFEREE              BWF ACCREDITED REFEEREE

Charlotte Ackermann (USA)                      Nahathai Sornprachum (THA)

BWF CERIFICATED UMPIRES

ASIA                                    EUROPE                     OCEANIA

Hou Long Hu (CHN)            Mark Speight (GER)      Richard Bramley (NZL)

Shon Hee Joo (KOR)             David Craig (SCO)

Jitirut Thanuakarapat (THA)

BWF ACCREDITED UMPIRE

ASIA                                     EUROPE                    AFRICA

Simon Au Mun Fong (HKG)     Ian Ross (ENG)           Louwrens Bester (RSA)

Apinder Sabharwal (IND)

OCEANIA                              PAN AMERICA

Kelly Hoare (AUS)                  Sunil Jinadasa (USA)    ...more

Wilson Swiss Open Super Series 2008

The 2008 Wilson Swiss Open is hosted in Basel again this year from 12 - 16 March. Entries close 5 February 2008. Presented by Swiss Badminton, this will be the last Super Series before the end of the Olympic qualifying period on 30 April. The Referee is Mohan Dharan (SIN) and Deputy Referee is Pencho Stoynov (BUL). The invitation and full competition details are published on the BWF website    ...more

World Training Centre Sofia

The intake dates for 2008, deadline for applications and the application process have been published on the BWF website. The first intake for the year is 5 - 31 May with a closing date for applications of 21 March. National Federations can plan ahead this year and can now lodge applications for each intake at the beginning of the year. The Sofia World Training Center is situated on the campus of the National Sport Academy Sofia / Bulgaria which provides on-site accommodation and catering for athletes, training facilities and high performance sports science / sports medicine service support for athletes/coaches  ...more

Coach Education

The BWF has extended its courses and resources in Coach Education. Our thanks to Council Member Dieter Kespohl and Director of Performance Development, Gunther Huber for their terrific work in putting together the framework. The BWF website provides a range of opportunities for those running coach education courses and information on the new BWF Certified Coach Education Courses. The BWF is committed to coach education and providing courses in 2008. Watch this space   ...more

Olympic Solidarity - Opportunities 2008

This is the last year in the 2005 - 2008 quadrennial cycle to access IOC Olympic Solidarity funding - for technical courses, for specific projects, 

for elite athlete training at Training Centres, for post-graduate education and training, for coach education at the BWF WTC Saarbrucken (Internship) and  funding for expert consultants in your sport and sport administration to improve the national and local sports structure. It may not be too late for your National Badminton Association to access funding in this calendar year. Contact your National Olympic Committee to get more information about opportunities this year - and /or develop plans and NOC relations ready for 2009 - 2012 ...more

Athletes Commission

The BWF establish an Athletes Commission with one of its members having voting rights on the Council. The decision requires minor changes to the Badminton Players Federations Constitution before this can be implemented and membership approval at the AGM in Jakarta in May. All going well the players' representative to the Council will be in place after the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games ...more

Key Decisions - BWF Council Meeting

The BWF Council in December considered a wide range of issues for the sport and the BWF. One of key areas under consideration was the findings of a major review of the BWF Office, its structure and functions. The Council endorsed the Review Report which included the advertising of three key senior positions and the full establishment of a satellite office in Lausanne where the Development Department would be located. See the summary of the key decisions    ...more

First Grand Prix Event for 2008

The Yonex German Open 2008 will be the first of eleven Grand Prix events hosted in 2008 and only one of two to be hosted before the end of the Olympic Qualifying Period - the other being the India Gold Grand Prix. The Yonex German Open will be hosted from 26 February - 2 March at the Rhein-Ruhr Sporthalle, M