Thailand’s Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul has been elected as 20th President of Badminton World Federation (BWF). Khunying was elected unopposed, being the sole nominee for position. She succeeds Poul-Erik Hoyer of Denmark, who had served who served as BWF President for 12 years (from 2013 to 2024).
She will play a key role in expanding badminton’s global reach and commercial success, especially targeting new markets like North America ahead of LA 2028 Olympics.
About Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul:
- Thai businesswoman with a degree in Economics from the University of Manchester.
- Former President of the Badminton Association of Thailand.
- Member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) since 2018.
- Chair of IOC Culture and Olympic Heritage Commission.
- Member of other IOC commissions, including Olympic Solidarity and Revenues and Commercial Partnerships.
- Became the second woman ever elected as BWF President; the first was Lu Shengrong of China (1993–2001).
About Badminton World Federation (BWF)
- Founded: 5 July 1934 as the International Badminton Federation (IBF).
- Original members: 9 nations – Canada, Denmark, England, France, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Scotland, Wales.
- Merger: Merged with the World Badminton Federation in 1981.
- Renamed: Officially renamed as Badminton World Federation (BWF) in 2006 at the Extraordinary General Meeting in Madrid.
- Headquarters: Initially in Cheltenham, UK; moved to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 1 October 2005.
- Membership: 202 member associations globally, organized into 5 continental confederations.
- Recognized by: International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the governing body for badminton.
Badminton in Olympics and North America:
- Badminton has been part of the Olympic Games since 1992 (Barcelona Olympics).
- Still limited presence in North America despite Olympic inclusion.
- BWF tournaments in North America:
- US Open (Super 300 level)
- Canada Open (recently downgraded from Super 500 to Super 300 for 2025–2026).
- German Open upgraded to Super 500 status for 2025 and 2026 seasons.
- Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games present an opportunity to increase badminton’s visibility in the American market.