England to host first World Para-Badminton Championships

Kuala Lumpur, Feb 24: Badminton World Federation (BWF) Tuesday announced that the first Para-Badminton World Championships will be held in England from September 8 to 13.

The championships will be held at the Stoke Mandeville Stadium in Aylesbury, a town in Buckinghamshire, which is the birthplace of the Paralympic Movement, reports Xinhua.

As part of rehabilitation treatment for injured World War II veterans, Stoke Mandeville Hospital organised a sporting competition known as the Stoke Mandeville Games, thereafter the International Stoke Mandeville Games.

The ninth Annual International Stoke Mandeville Games in Rome in 1960 were recognised as the first Paralympics. Stoke Mandeville is also the National Centre for Disability Sport in Britain.

The awarding of the event comes after it was confirmed last October that para-badminton would be making its debut at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.

"We are thrilled to be hosting the prestigious BWF Para-Badminton World Championships in England later this year and in the birthplace of para-sports competitions," Badminton England chief executive Adrian Christy said.

"It's particularly timely after the landmark decision last October to confirm para-badminton as a Paralympic sport at Tokyo 2020 and we cannot wait to welcome all the best players in the world to England."