Wembley Arena to host 2011 worlds

0

LONDON: The world badminton championships in August next year would be held at Wembley Arena in London, Badminton World Federation said yesterday.The National Indoor Arena in Birmingham has successfully hosted the prestigious All England championships since 1994 when they moved from Wembley.

However, Wembley will offer fans in London a sneak preview of the kind of world-class badminton they can expect at the 2012 Olympics and is the likely Games venue.

BWF chief operating officer Thomas Lund said in a media release: “Badminton England has, over the years, established the All England championships as one of the best-organised badminton tournaments in the BWF calendar and the BWF is confident that Badminton England will continue to do a wonderful job in hosting the world championships.”

The worlds are an annual event except in an Olympics year.

Birmingham hosted the championships in 1993 and 2003 and the 2010 tournament is in Paris in August.

Since the championships’ inception in 1977, China has been the most successful nation with 49 titles. — Reuters