Text by BWF
Thailand’s Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul has been confirmed new BWF President at the 86th BWF Annual General Meeting in Xiamen, China held Saturday 26 April 2025.
Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul is the second female president of the Badminton World Federation. She won unopposed.
“For me, badminton has always been more than a sport and tonight marks a deeply meaningful milestone,” said Khunying Patama.
“While badminton is in a strong position today, we must continue to work towards making badminton a truly global sport.”
“The next Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles are just three years away, and LA28 presents a powerful opportunity to elevate our sport on the world stage. We must be ready to grab this moment.”
Khunying Patama succeeds Denmark’s Poul-Erik Høyer, whose 12-year tenure as BWF President ends today.
Høyer was awarded Honorary Life Vice President by the BWF membership at the AGM.
Khunying Patama added: “Badminton has come a long way over the past decade, and I am truly grateful for the strong foundations that have been laid by my good friend Poul-Erik Høyer.
“Thank you so much for everything you have done for badminton, as a champion on court, a visionary administrator, and, above all, as a wonderful person.”
“It is both a privilege and a great responsibility to accept the baton of leadership from you. You have set a high standard for us all to follow.”
Høyer reflected on his 12-year term, the growth of the sport, and his wishes for the future.
“It’s a great honour to pass on the baton of BWF President to my dear friend and colleague Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul,” said Høyer.
“I am sure badminton and the BWF will continue to grow and blossom under your leadership and guidance.
“Badminton has been such a big part of my life for so many years now, both on and off the court.
“And I am so proud of the transformations we have collectively made together over the last 12 years to take the sport to where it is today.
“Continuity, innovation and capacity building are core elements I would like to see the Federation champion over the next four years heading into Los Angeles 2028 and beyond.”
Long-serving BWF Council member and Paris 2024 CEO Etienne Thobois of France was confirmed as Deputy President. He was the sole candidate for the position.
Thobois said: “I’m very excited personally to work with Khunying Patama and the team to further the sport’s global footprint.
“We now have a great challenge ahead of us to keep badminton relevant and exciting for the masses around the world. And the good news is that we are already in a strong position and we are working from a solid strategic blueprint that can help us narrow the gap between badminton and other leading global sports.
“I also want to share my deep admiration for Poul-Erik. He is a true hero. We go back a long time from our playing days, including Atlanta 1996, and we even share the same birthdate. He was an inspiration then, and is still an inspiration now. To see him go out on his own terms today and show amazing strength in leadership is reflective of who he is as a person. He is a living testimony of what the word resilience means and is wonderful example for the badminton community.”
France’s Richard Perot was successful in the election for BWF Vice President Para Badminton over incumbent Paul Kurzo. Perot said he was eager to elevate the sport to new heights.
“My vision is to set a more global and geographically balanced sport where all countries are having the necessary resources to push their boundaries.
“A sport that breaks the barriers and gives every child, disable or not, whatever their social origin, colour of skin, gender or religion, a chance to play for life and achieve their dream to become a champion.”
20 new BWF Council members were also elected in accordance with Continental and gender quotas outlined in the BWF Constitution.
| 1. Andoni Azurmendi Ibarrola (ESP) | 11. Mohamad Norza Zakaria (MAS) |
| 2. Bambang (Rudy) Roedyanto (INA) | 12. Nora Perry (ENG) |
| 3. Charlotte Dew-Hattens (DEN) | 13. Odette Assembe Engoulou (CMR) |
| 4. Francis Orbih (NGR) | 14. Pilar Carrillo la Fuente (PER) |
| 5. Jan Helmond (NED) | 15. Rukhshona Narzulloeva (TJK) |
| 6. Jo ‘Anne Cassar (MLT) | 16. Sawsan Taqawi (BRN) |
| 7. Jose Gabriel del Busto Fernandez (GUA) | 17. Sven Serre (BEL) |
| 8. Julie McDonald (AUS) | 18. Taleh Ziyadov (AZE) |
| 9. Kim Jong Soo (KOR) | 19. Wajid Ali Chaudhry (PAK) |
| 10. Mitsuru Murai (JPN) | 20. Zhang Jun (CHN) |
*alphabetical order by surname
The 23 new BWF Council members elected today join the five Continental Vice Presidents and Chair of the Athletes’ Commission currently serving their terms.
- Michel Bau (Vice President – Africa)
- Jassem Kanso (Vice President – Asia)
- Robbert de Kock (Vice President – Europe)
- Loke Poh Wong (Vice President – Oceania)
- Vishu Tolan (Vice President – Pan Am)
- Greysia Polii (Chair – Athletes’ Commission)
BWF Updates
- During today’s AGM, the BWF membership formalised the permanent banning of the ‘spin serve’ as per Law 9.1.5.
- The next BWF AGM is planned for April or May 2026 in conjunction with the BWF Thomas & Uber Cup Finals 2026 in Horsens, Denmark. The exact date will be announced before 31 October 2025.
- BWF can confirm Richard Vaughan as the new Chief Operating Officer, who began on 1 April 2025. Vaughan has joined as part of BWF succession plans that will see him replace Stuart Borrie who has served as COO for over 17 years.
- Borrie will remain with the BWF during a transition period in a new Project Director role in order to ensure a smooth onboarding for Vaughan, as well as creating added capacity to develop badminton even further in the years to come.
Member Association Awards 2025
- BWF Membership Grant Programme Impact Award
- Federation Nacional de Badminton de Honduras
- Participation Award
- Federation Francaise de Badminton
- Inclusion Award (joint winners)
- Azerbaijan Badminton Federation
- Federation Senegalaise de Badminton
- Promotion Award
- Egyptian Badminton Federation
