On September 20, the International Day of University Sports is celebrated worldwide and badminton is already included in the activities that associations of our region will carry out to celebrate this day.
Considering the opportunities for the development of our sport at all levels, the Badminton Pan American Confederation (BPAC) invited all associations in the region to nominate university badminton coordinators to establish joint activities for the benefit of the growth of our sport. Badminton Federations of Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Cuba, Mexico and Peru are some of the associations that have responded to this invitation and are already getting ready to celebrate this day with university tournaments and sport festivals.
International Day of University Sports (IDUS) is celebrated annually on September 20 since 2016, and was officially proclaimed by the United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organisation (UNESCO). This date was chosen because in most countries, this is the time when the academic year begins. In addition, it has a special meaning within the International University Sports Movement, since, this is the date on which the first World Student Championships were held, back in 1924, in Warsaw, Poland.
This celebration also reinforces the inclusion of Badminton in the University curriculum and marks an important step for future University Sports competitions where our sport is already considered.
Related article: There are Universities in our region that have received International Certifications due to the badminton courses developed. Read more here.
In addition, badminton will be part of the sports programme of the next edition of the Fisu America Games 2020, after the agreement signed by FISU America, governing body of university sports in our region, and BPAC in 2018. This partnership includes Development activities and Events where BPAC can coordinate a successful participation.
Is badminton already played at your university?
If you want to know how to include, contact us: jsabastizagal@badmintonpanam.org
In 2007, the International Federation of University Sports (FISU), led to the creation of a Pan-American institution, which brings together regional organizations of university sports in our continent. In this way, the countries that formed the organizations of North America, ODUCC (University Sports Organization of Central America and the Caribbean) and SDC (South American University Confederation of Sports), met in Blumeneau, Brazil, on June 11 to found ODUPA , the Pan American University Sports Organization.
Arrived the year 2015, in new Electoral Assembly held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Alim Maluf, is elected as fourth President, also causing the name change of the organization that was renamed as today, FISU America.
On 20 July 2018, FISU America held the opening ceremony of the inaugural FISU America Games, the continental association’s first ever multi-sport games. Organised in São Paulo, Brazil, the first edition of the FISU America Games brought together 1,500 student athletes from 12 countries, including the United States and Canada.
During the 2019 FISU America General Assembly, held in Napoli, the second edition of the FISU America Games 2020, which will be held in Mexico next June, was confirmed and Badminton will be part of this multi-sport event.
