BWF AGM 2025 Follow Up / New Council / AGM Decisions / AGM Voting Record

On 25 and 26 April 2025 in Xiamen China, the BWF hosted its 13^th Members’ Forum 2025, and 86^th AGM and Gala Dinner.

A total of 310 participants took part in this year’s activities. Please find enclosed information on the Members’ Forum and AGM.

We would very much like to hear from the 310 participants who took part so we can improve the programme of activities next year. Please complete the survey (English, French and Spanish) before Friday 9 May. [Click on the dropdown menu to choose a different language.]

1. BWF AGM 2025 – Xiamen, China

Thank you to the 146 Members and the 7 Associate Members who participated in the BWF AGM 2025 in Xiamen on Saturday 26 April 2025.

It was an eventful few days in Xiamen with the elections 2025. As you may know, Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul was elected BWF President (2025-2029).

Following 12 years of service, the BWF membership honoured retiring President, Poul-Erik Høyer, by electing him as a BWF Honorary Life Vice President.

Etienne Thobois was elected Deputy President and Richard Perot was elected Vice President Para Badminton.

See the full list of Council on the BWF website (linked here).

The BWF Council 2025 elections completes the transition of the elected leadership of the BWF. Those BWF Council members elected last Saturday will serve a four-year term (2025 – 2029).

Later this year the BWF Athletes’ Commission and Para Badminton Athletes’ Commission will hold elections. In 2027, election will be held for the 5 Continental Confederation Vice Presidents.

2. Key Information – BWF AGM 2025 – Xiamen

Please find enclosed, information from the BWF AGM of Saturday 26 April 2025.

1. Annex A – Summary Record of Voting | Annex B – Detailed Voting record.

2. Independent Lawyers Report (link here)
3. Decisions of the AGM 2025 (see below)
4. AGM website page (Link here).
5. Press release – elections (linked here)

3. AGM Participation Statistics

Here are the statistics from the AGM / Forum:

• 146 Members represented by Voting Delegates (note one delegate did not cast any votes).
• 51 Second Delegates
• 7 Associate Members
• 24 BWF Council members (plus 4 who were AGM delegates)
• 5 – CC Representatives
• 51 – Observers
• 7 – Members’ Forum guest speakers / presenters
• 19 – BWF staff
• Total – 310 participants

(People with multiple roles counted once / does not include 20 Gala Dinner guests)

4. BWF Members’ Forum 2025

The BWF Members’ Forum 2025 explored four key themes and showcased best practice from Member Associations and external, expert presenters.

• Session 1 – Capacity Building – BWF membership
• Session 2 – Sustainabilit
• Session3 – Inclusive Badminton – spotlight on Para badminton and Special Olympics.
• Session 4 – Events Innovation

All four sessions have been uploaded onto BWF’s YouTube Channel (link here for the playlist).

See the links below for the individual links to sessions.

Session 1 – Capacity Building

Session 2 – Sustainability

Session 3 – Inclusive Badminton

Session 4 – Events Innovation

5. Elections 2025

Elections were held for the vacant positions of President, Deputy President, Vice President Para Badminton and 20 ordinary Council members.

You may have seen the press release from Saturday 26 April 2025, however, here are the results:

1. Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul (THA) – President
2. Etienne Thobois (FRA) – Deputy President
3. Richard Perot (FRA) – Vice President Para Badminton
4. Council members (see below)

6. Other Decisions of the AGM 2025

The AGM approved 10 out of the 12 proposals on the agenda (linked here). Items 7.3 and 8.1 were withdrawn in the meeting, so they were not considered or voted on.

Please see the Summary Record of the Voting (Annex A) and Detailed Voting Record (Annex B). These show the results from each proposal and Annex B shows how each Member voted (except for the elections which were secret ballots).

The decisions of the AGM 2025 were as follows:

• Item 2.1 – Ratify the Voting Strength – ratified the interim procedures used by Council to calculate the Voting Strength of each Member for the period 1 October 2024 – 30 September 2028.
• Item 3 – Minutes – AGM 2023 – Approved the minutes of the last meeting.
• Item 4.2 – Accounts – Adopted the Audited Financial Statements (31 Dec. 2024).
• Item 5 – Subscription 2026 – Set the unit of subscription as USD$200/unit (same).
• Item 6 – Auditors 2025 – Maintained BDO PLT as auditors for 2025.
• Item 7.1 – Laws of Badminton – banning the ‘spin serve’.
• Item 2 – Amendments to Constitution – approved amendments to the BWF Constitution – see the agenda (linked here) for details.

• Clause 18 – nominating people from the same continent.
• Clause 18.4 – not requiring “seconding” for proposals to the AGM.
• Clause 19 – refined the wording for the role of Council – better fits the purpose.
• Clause 22 – amended the requirement to have an Executive Board – and delegated the powers to the Council to decide whether to have an EB, and what form it takes.

• Item 9.1 – Suspension – approved the continuation of the suspension of Badminton Kenya.
• Item 9.2 – Suspension – approved the continuation of the suspension – Fédération Royale Marocaine de Badminton.
• Item 9.3 – Suspension – approved the continuation of the suspension the National Badminton Federation of Russia (NBFR).
• Item 12 – Elections of Council – see above.

Contact person

Please contact Stuart Borrie ([email protected]), Project Director, if you have any questions regarding the enclosed.