NEWLY-elected Badminton World Federation (BWF) president Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul of Thailand will attend the Penang Badminton Association’s (PBA) centennial celebration at the Setia SPICE Convention Centre on Nov 22.

Patama, a prominent figure in the international sporting scene and a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), accepted PBA’s invitation to grace the event, which is expected to be a grand and historic occasion.

Involved in sports for many years, Patama chairs the Culture and Olympic Heritage Commission within the IOC and formerly served as BWF Deputy President. She succeeded Poul-Erik Hoyer Larsen, who led the BWF for 12 years before stepping down due to his Parkinson’s diagnosis.

PBA president Datuk Kah Kau Kiak expressed his delight at Patama’s acceptance, saying her presence reflects the BWF’s recognition of Penang’s role in promoting badminton regionally.

“We are deeply honoured. Her presence reaffirms the BWF’s appreciation of our contributions to the sport, both nationally and in the region,” Kah said.

Patama is the second woman to lead the BWF, following China’s Lu Shengrong who served from 1993 to 2001. In recognition of her contributions to sport, she has been dubbed the “Olympic Queen” by the Thai Sports Journalists Association.

As part of the centennial celebration, PBA has invited several badminton legends to attend. Among them are Malaysian icons Datuk Lee Chong Wei and Chan Peng Soon, who have agreed to showcase their Olympic medals, trophies and rackets. Kah met them recently during the Malaysia Super 500 tournament.

Also joining the celebration is top Malaysian women’s singles player Goh Jin Wei, who will display her two World Junior Championship gold medals and other personal memorabilia.

Chong Wei, Malaysia’s most decorated men’s singles shuttler, will serve as the official ambassador for the celebration. He won three Olympic silver medals – in Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Rio 2016.

Peng Soon, along with partner Goh Liu Ying, secured Malaysia’s first Olympic silver in mixed doubles at Rio 2016.

“This is a meaningful moment not just for PBA, but for all Malaysians. Chong Wei, Peng Soon and Jin Wei began their badminton journey in Penang. We are proud of their achievements and their enduring sense of gratitude. They are role models for the next generation,” Kah added.

The centennial event will also serve as a reunion for former national and state players from Penang.

During a recent visit to the Singapore Badminton Super 750 tournament, Kah and his delegation extended invitations to the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) to attend the celebration and participate in the Century Cup, a regional tournament that will coincide with the anniversary.

Kah said discussions were also held with SBA on future collaborations, including leadership exchanges and joint player development programmes to enhance regional cooperation.

“Through our collective efforts, we aim to inspire the future generation and build lasting friendships through badminton,” he said.

Story by Edmund Lee