28 March, 2023
Badminton England and Badminton Scotland are delighted to confirm that the 4 Nations Para Badminton International has been included in the BWF’s inaugural Para Badminton World Tour.
A key event within the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games qualification period, the UK home nations have joined together to create capacity and legacy to benefit the sport for years to come.
2022 saw Badminton Ireland host the first leg in Dublin and with a successful UK Sport funding bid for the following two years (2023-2024), Sheffield and Glasgow will host the Grade 2 events on the BWF Para Badminton World Circuit.
This year’s event will be held at the world-class, accessible venue – the English Institute of Sport (EIS) in Sheffield – Home of our GB para-badminton squad from 2nd to 6th August 2023.
The ticketed event is part of a wider sporting portfolio for Sheffield, looking to enhance the sporting legacy, increase capacity and raise the profile of the sport in the city.
Badminton Scotland will host the 2024 event at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, which will be equally as important on the road to Paris, as vital world ranking points will be on offer to support seeding positions as well as player analysis.
Sue Storey, Chief Executive of Badminton England said: “We are delighted to be hosting this para-badminton showpiece event this summer. It is an honour to be able to promote how inclusive the sport of badminton is and how amazing and inspiring our own para athletes are.
“The positive partnership between the UK home nations and our host cities, and our engagement with UK Sport and the BWF on their inaugural Para Badminton World Tour, is something we should all be very proud of.
“I cannot wait to welcome the best in the world to Sheffield and I hope to see many of you there cheering on our athletes as we prepare for Paris 2024!”
Keith Russell, CEO of Badminton Scotland said: “Hosting this event in 2024 is a key part of our strategy. It will help us raise the visibility of para-badminton in Scotland and provide us with more opportunities to further develop the sport.
“It has been fantastic to work with UK Sport in order to be able to provide our athletes with the chance to compete on home soil twice in the build-up to the 2024 Paralympic Games and we hope it will help their preparation as they go for gold at Paris 2024.
“It has also given us the chance to collaborate more closely with our colleagues at Badminton England, Badminton Ireland and Badminton Wales which can only be a positive as we collectively continue to develop the sport of badminton throughout the 4 Nations.”
Esther Britten, Head of Major Events at UK Sport said: “Funded by The National Lottery, we’ve carefully built a programme of major events that will help GB athletes qualify and prepare for the Paralympic Games. As we continue the journey towards Paris 2024, I’m delighted that we are able to give athletes two opportunities to compete on home soil.”
Gary Clifton, Major Events Manager at Sheffield City Council said: “Sheffield is the home of the GB para-badminton squad, so we’re thrilled that next year’s event will be at the EIS, a fantastic, accessible venue used by so many.
“Sheffield is well known for hosting some of the best sporting events in the UK. We’re proud to have inclusive venues, where inspiring and dedicated athletes can train, and compete in our city, which is host to some of the world’s best para facilities. The event will be great and one to watch.”
