Special Olympics (SOI) and the Badminton World Federation (BWF) re-affirmed their collaboration with the official signing of an renewed MOU at the YONEX All England Open Badminton Championships in Birmingham, England in March 2026.
Simultaneously, they launched their second joint strategic plan for the period of 2026-2031, building off the momentum and accomplishments of their inaugural plan. Sport sit at the heart of both the BWF and SOI. The vision of the 4-year strategic plan is to provide meaningful opportunities for people with an intellectual disability to be involved in all aspects of badminton.
The Strategic Plan focuses on 4 Key Impact Areas:
- Development: Provide high quality participation and education opportunities for Special Olympics athletes and coaches, through programmes which cater for all ages and ability levels. Promote badminton as an inclusive sport that can be enjoyed by all, particularly in a unified setting.
- Competition & Events: Support and encourage opportunities for Special Olympics athletes to experience a positive sporting experience through competition.
- Partnerships: Promote and encourage the development of partnerships between the BWF and SOI at all levels within each organization: Global, Regional and National.
- Communication: Positively promote the collaborative work of the BWF and SOI, as well as highlighting key messages of both organizations, particularly those of inclusion, health & wellbeing, and social benefits of sport/badminton