The badminton world championship slated for August 2021 in Spain will now take place at the end of 2021 from November 29 to December 5 at the Carolina Marin Stadium in Huelva, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) said on Friday.
The move was made to avoid a clash it would have with the postponed Tokyo Olympic Games.
"The Badminton World Federation (BWF) and Spanish Badminton Federation (FESBA) can confirm the BWF World Championships traditionally scheduled for August 2021 will now take place at the end of 2021 from Monday 29 November to Sunday 5 December," the BWF said.
Both BWF and FESBA had been discussing with tournament hosts to have the event later in 2021 and "the decision to postpone the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games to 23 July to 8 August and 24 August until 5 September 2021 only confirmed this move."
Carolina Marin, reigning Olympic champion and three-time women's world champion, reacts during the Women's Singles quarter finals match against Akane Yamaguchi of Japan in the Yonex All England in Birmingham, England, March 13, 2020. /VCG
"The new schedule will allow players to have a clear focus for 2021 in which they will have dual objectives of both the Olympic Games and World Championships."
Such dual objectives are rare, however, as this will be the first time the prestigious event being held in an Olympic year. Traditionally, the world championship is staged every year but will skip the Summer Olympic year.
BWF President Poul-Erik Hoyer said changing the BWF World Championships to late November was in the best interests of the sport.
"BWF and Spanish Badminton Federation are confident that the rescheduled championships will be a success. The move allows both the Olympic badminton competition and the World Championships to be conducted with equal fairness for everyone," Hoyer said.
Japan's Kento Momota celebrates winning his men's singles final against Denmark's Anders Antonsen at 2019 Badminton World Championships in Basel, Switzerland, August 25, 2019. /VCG
After the the YONEX All England Open 2020 in mid-March 2020, the badminton community has come to a halt due to the coronavirus pandemic. The BWF in April further suspended all tournament till end of July followed by a move to freeze the world rankings. The ranking lists issued on 17 March 2020 will serve as a basis for entry and seeding into the next international tournaments.
The BWF's latest move was to push back for the second time the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals in Aarhus, Denmark from May this year to August 15 to 23.
"The remainder of the 2021 BWF Tournament Calendar is yet to be finalized" and "a further announcement will be made on the qualifying process for next year's Olympic Games, Paralympic Games and World Championships," the BWF added.
(Cover image: Reigning world champion Pusarla V. Sindhu of India competes in the Women's Singles first round match at the Daihatsu Indonesia Masters in Jakarta, Indonesia, January 15, 2020. /VCG)