Race to Paris Olympics badminton qualification to begin in China, as Viktor Axelsen claims second world title
- Most international sport in China has been cancelled amid the pandemic but at least three tournaments are scheduled there in 2023
- China still pencilled in to host BWF World Tour Finals this year, but they remain in doubt because of strict ‘zero-Covid’ measures
Qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympics will start in May next year in China, badminton officials said on Monday as they unveiled a beefed-up calendar for the sport’s re-emergence from the pandemic.
The 2023 season will start at the Malaysia Open in Kuala Lumpur in January.
The year-long “Race to Paris” Olympic qualification will begin on May 1, with the Sudirman Cup in Suzhou, China from May 14-21 the first eligible ranking tournament, the Badminton World Federation said.
The Race to Paris rankings on April 30, 2024, will be used to determine the initial list of Olympic qualifiers.
Most international sport in China has been cancelled amid the pandemic but at least three tournaments are scheduled there in 2023, the BWF said.
And China is still pencilled in to host three tournaments later this year, including the season-ending BWF World Tour Finals, but they remain in doubt because of the country’s strict “zero-Covid” measures.
