Singapore Badminton Association
SportBadminton
JurisdictionSingapore
AbbreviationSBA
Founded1929 (1929)
AffiliationSNOC
Badminton Asia
BWF
Regional affiliationAsia
HeadquartersKallang, Singapore
PresidentLawrence Leow
Official website
www.singaporebadminton.org.sg
Singapore

Singapore Badminton Association (abbreviation: SBA) is the national governing body for badminton in Singapore. It governs, encourages and develops the sport throughout the country.

Founded in 1929, the SBA is an affiliate of the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC). It is also a member of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) and Badminton Asia, which was formerly known as the Badminton Asian Confederation.

As of 2022, the SBA has a total of 33 member clubs across the country.[1] It closely liaises with the member clubs to provide support to the club and league structures.

History

Formation

After its introduction by the British and the Amateur Sporting Association in the 1920s, badminton gained widespread popularity throughout Singapore.[2] It was against this backdrop that the SBA was established several years later in 1929, with Tan Boo Teck as its inaugural president.[3] Upon its formation, the SBA allowed badminton parties, which were essentially teams consisting of badminton enthusiasts, to affiliate themselves with them and take part in their annual open championships.[4]

Following the Japanese Occupation, the SBA had to deal with the loss of some of its best players to the war, the lack of proper facilities and the rising cost of maintaining the club.[4] Nevertheless, Malaya, which Singapore was then a part of, prepared to send its first team to the 1949 Thomas Cup.[1] The team eventually emerged victorious, beating Denmark 8–1 in the finals held in England.[1]

Singapore Badminton Hall

At the time, the lack of proper facilities meant that the SBA's players started practicing in open-air courts.[1] SBA meetings were also mainly held at the Clerical Union Hall.[4] The Thomas Cup win, however, kicked off a fundraiser to build a badminton hall. Despite the donations, the SBA struggled with the cost of the construction and had to relinquish ownership of the badminton hall to the Singapore Sports Council (now known as Sport Singapore).[1] Eventually, the Singapore Badminton Hall, which also doubled as the SBA's headquarters, was opened in 1952.[4]

In January 2008, the SBA's lease at the Singapore Badminton Hall expired. The SBA then relocated to the Singapore Sports School.[5] The SBA is currently located at the Singapore Sports Hub, after the latter's construction was completion in 2014.[6]

Post-independence success

Badminton would experience a revival in Singapore after the 1983 Southeast Asian Games, when Wong Shoon Keat won the gold medal at the men's singles.[7]

In 2021, Loh Kean Yew made history by becoming the men's singles world champion, winning the title at the 2021 BWF World Championships, becoming the first Singaporean to achieve this feat.[8]

SBA Badminton Academy

In 2017, the SBA launched the Singapore Badminton Academy in partnership with ActiveSG.[9] The academy, headed by former Olympian Jiang Yanmei, offers a series of badminton programmes across Singapore for aspiring shuttlers aged six to 17.[10] Many former national shuttlers are part of the academy's coaching team.[9]

Presidents

Year President Ref
1929–1932 Tan Boo Teck [11]
1932–1934 Poh Chee Juay [12]
1934–1936 Tan Boo Teck [13]
1936–1939 Chua Keh Hai [14]
1939–1941 Goh Hood Kiat [15]
1947–1954 Lim Chuan Geok [16]
1954–1955 Aw Cheng Chye [17]
1955–1961 Wee Kim Wee [18]
1961–1965 Lim Kim Peow [19]
1965–1967 Siow Watt Soon [20]
1967–1972 Ong Pang Boon [21]
1972–1973 Wong Lin Ken [22]
1973–1974 Danny Wong [23]
1974–1975 A. W. Kirby [24]
1975–1981 Lee Kin Tat [25]
1981–1991 Ong Teng Cheong [26]
1991–1997 Lee Yock Suan [27]
1997–2002 Wang Kai Yuen [28]
2002–2008 Lim Swee Say [29]
2008–2016 Lee Yi Shyan [30]
2016–2018 Tan Kian Chew [31]
2018- Lawrence Leow [32]

Tournaments

The SBA is involved in a number of tournaments throughout the year.

Singapore Open

The Singapore Open is a BWF-sanctioned tournament organised by the SBA. It has been categorised as a BWF World Tour Super 750 event since the BWF announced its new events structure in 2023.[33] The tournament, which offered a total prize money of US$850,000 in its 2023 edition, attracts some of the world's best shuttlers.[34]

Singapore International

The Singapore International or Singapore Satellite, Cheers Asian Satellite is an open international badminton tournament in Singapore. In the last few years, this tournament has been categorised by BWF as an International Series event.[35]

Singapore National Championships

The National Open Championships is a Tier 1 SBA Tournament, with the highest ranking points under the National Ranking System.[36]

Other SBA Sanctioned Tournaments

The following tournaments, all of which are tier 2 and below events, are currently sanctioned by the SBA:[37]

Notable Shuttlers

Many shuttlers have represented Singapore on the world stage, both prior and after the nation gained independence.

Pre-independence

Post-independence

Olympians

Below is the list of Olympians that had represented Singapore over the years:[44]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "SBA Affiliate Clubs". Singapore Badminton Association. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  2. ^ Tan, T. C., et al. (2002). Upholding the legacy Singapore badminton. Singapore: Asiapac, p. 7
  3. ^ Tan, Joanna. "Badminton in Singapore". Singapore Infopedia. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d Tan, Bonny. "Singapore Badminton Association". Singapore Infopedia. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  5. ^ Wang, J. (2007, September 25). SBA to get new home at Sports School. The Straits Times, p. 36. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
  6. ^ "Contact". Singapore Badminton Association. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  7. ^ "Satu lagi sejarah!". Berita Harian. 6 June 1983. p. 9. Retrieved 20 August 2020 – via NewspaperSG.
  8. ^ "Singapore's Loh Kean Yew is badminton world champion". The Straits Times. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  9. ^ a b "Singapore Badminton Association launches academy with ActiveSG". TODAYonline. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  10. ^ "Programmes: Badminton Academy". ActiveSG. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  11. ^ "Singapore Championship". Malaya Tribune. 18 November 1929. p. 10.
  12. ^ "S.B.A. Officers". Malaya Tribune. 19 April 1933. p. 5.
  13. ^ "S.B.A. Meeting". Malaya Tribune. 27 March 1934. p. 13.
  14. ^ "Badminton Association Meeting". The Straits Times. 15 March 1936. p. 23.
  15. ^ "S.B.A. Junior Tourney Rule Amended". Sunday Tribune (Singapore). 2 April 1939. p. 22.
  16. ^ "S'pore Badminton Championships". Sunday Tribune (Singapore). 4 May 1947. p. 12.
  17. ^ "Shuttlers Vote For Cheng Chye". Sunday Standard. 11 April 1954. p. 17.
  18. ^ "Wee Says Again: We Will Still Affiliate With Bam if Wanted". The Straits Times. 26 March 1961. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  19. ^ "Wee Says Again: We Will Still Affiliate With Bam if Wanted". The Straits Times. 26 March 1961. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  20. ^ "Siow takes over SBA top post from Lim". The Straits Times. 2 March 1965. p. 19.
  21. ^ "Pang Boon elected president of SBA". The Straits Times. 19 March 1967. p. 19.
  22. ^ "No improvement, shuttlers told". New Nation. 1 March 1972. p. 13.
  23. ^ "SBA vote 21 into power on manifesto". The Straits Times. 6 March 1973. p. 24.
  24. ^ "SBA officials pledge to raise playing standard". The Straits Times. 4 April 1974. p. 23.
  25. ^ "Dr Lee is the new SBA president". New Nation. 20 July 1975. p. 18.
  26. ^ "Ong: SBA's main target is to raise standard of game". The Straits Times. 26 April 1981. p. 30.
  27. ^ "SBA president Ong hands over job to vice-president Lee". The Straits Times. 30 June 1991. p. 31.
  28. ^ "China's Sun Jun to head cast for next month's Konica Cup". The Straits Times. 29 June 1997. p. 39.
  29. ^ "Minister to lead badminton". The Straits Times. 22 June 2002. p. 20.
  30. ^ "Badminton association going local to attain goals". AsiaOne. 26 May 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  31. ^ "Badminton: Tan Kian Chew elected new president of Singapore Badminton Association". The Straits Times. 11 June 2016. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  32. ^ "Change at helm likely for Singapore Badminton Association; Lawrence Leow tipped to be new chief". The Straits Times. 7 June 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  33. ^ "BWF World Tour Hosts 2023-2026 Announced". Badminton World Federation. 18 June 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  34. ^ "Singapore Open 2023". BWF World Tour. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  35. ^ "Singapore International Series 2018". Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  36. ^ "National Open Championships". Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  37. ^ "SBA Sanctioned Tournaments". Singapore Badminton Association. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  38. ^ "黄循杰夺男单冠军 打破印尼垄断局面 (in Simplified Chinese)". Lianhe Wanbao. 6 June 1983. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  39. ^ "Dad's winning moment inspires Jason". The New Paper. 2 April 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  40. ^ "Singles gold for Li Li". BBC. 4 August 2002. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
  41. ^ "Fu Mingtian wins S'pore's first SEA Games women's badminton gold". Yahoo Newsroom. 11 November 2011. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  42. ^ "Singapore's Loh Kean Yew is badminton world champion". The Straits Times. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  43. ^ a b "Commonwealth Games: S'pore clinch historic badminton mixed doubles gold after beating England in final". The Straits Times. 8 August 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  44. ^ "Our Olympians". Singapore Badminton Association. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
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