COVID-19 Was "A Disaster" For Badminton, Says BWF Chief

Badminton is finally emerging from a pandemic that was "threatening the sport", world federation chief Thomas Lund told AFP, but China's zero-Covid policy means it may face further damaging disruption. Badminton World Federation secretary general Lund said the coronavirus pandemic made 2020 and 2021 "a disaster" for the game, forcing tournament cancellations worldwide and slashing finances to the bone. The situation is gradually returning to normal and in June the BWF announced an expanded calendar for the next four years that adds four more tournaments to the world tour.

But Lund also warned that three events scheduled for the end of this year in China, as well as one each in Hong Kong and Macau, could be moved if Covid restrictions make them unworkable.

China is traditionally the pre-eminent force in badminton and a vast, lucrative market crucial to the sport.

But most international sports in China has been cancelled in recent years because of the country's strict zero-Covid strategy.

"No doubt about it, that's under heavy review at the moment," the Dane said on the sidelines of the world championships in Tokyo of shifting the China events once again.

"Once we get a clear view whether it can happen or not, we may have to find a different destination for some of those tournaments."

Lund said badminton will not turn its back on China because of Covid and wants the sport to "start growing there again".

The Dane said surviving the pandemic has been "the focus" for badminton but he is now looking towards a brighter future with more events on next year's calendar.

The 31-tournament world tour will include new stops in Japan, Germany, Canada and Finland, and Lund says the sport is expanding beyond its traditional Asian