Reach for the Racquet

A Message of Support From Paul Kurzo

It is a great honour to be able to contribute to Meva's book. We have known each other for a long time dating back to 1995 when I played my first international tournament in Stoke Mandeville, England. I remember seeing this man with a turban chase the shuttlecock across the court. It was the first European Para-Badminton Championships and the birthplace of the International Badminton Association for the Disabled (IBAD). The 6 player countries that made up IBAD at the time were England, Germany, Israel, Switzerland, The Netherlands and Wales. Italy, the 7th country, initially took part in an observational capacity in an effort to learn how it worked.

My doubles partner that year was Jim Mackay and we finished third. You will read more about Jim later in the book. Unfortunately, Meva and I never played against each other as he was in the standing class, and I was in the wheelchair class. However, until my retirement at the World Championships 2005, we continued to see each other regularly at events. I have fond memories of many of the stories Meva recalls in this book. It was quite chaotic in the early days of para-badminton and we both saw the sport evolve with more players joining each year. We also saw it transform from a leisure activity to what it is today, a professional sport.

One thing that is special about the para-badminton community is the social interaction between the players. I remember we would have lengthy discussions as to how we could develop para-badminton and that one day we would hope to see it become a Paralympic sport.

Amazingly, some 20 years later, para-badminton will debut at the Tokyo 2021 Paralympic Games. While it is fantastic to see our vision come true, there is also a hint of regret that we were never able to participate at the Paralympics as players.

Meva, thank you for always being a good friend and companion. Your contribution to developing our beloved sport of para-badminton will always be treasured. I hope readers of this book enjoy your memories from the court.

-Paul Kurzo

BWF Vice President for Para-Badminton and former player

A Message of Support From Richard Perot

I first met Meva, during the Spanish Para-Badminton International back in 2011. He was part of the English squad, a determined player and an obvious character!

As a new athlete in the para-badminton community, what amazed me was the cross-nation connection between players, and Meva was one of the first to welcome our newly founded French team into the "para-badminton family." Over the years and at different championships around the world I had the opportunity to have time with Meva where I discovered his charity activities and tireless strength to promote sport for the disabled. He has been really inspirational for me. He changed the way I see myself, being an international athlete, and the values I could carry.

Back in my country, it clearly pushed me and some of my team-mates to commit in a similar way. We decided to form FRAP (France Para-Badminton) of which I was, until today, the president. Later, following Meva's path, I was elected Chair of the newly created BWF Athletes' Commission.

We need people like Meva. I am so glad to have met him and I am sure there is a full generation of disabled young athletes he can inspire. Keep up the good job mate!

-Richard Perot

BWF Chair, Para-Badminton Athletes' Commission
BWF Council Member
BWF Integrity Ambassador
IPC Agitos Foundation Proud Paralympian Educator
FRAP France Para-Badminton President

France National Paralympic Committee Ambassador

A Message of Support From Mike Robinson

Meva is a larger-than-life character. This book tells his amazing story from experiencing a horrific car accident to international success on the badminton court. Faced with a life changing event, this book tells how tenacity and a real determination to succeed can bring achievement, fulfilment, and great happiness.

Wishing you every success with the book.

-Mike Robinson

Chair, Badminton England

Acknowledgements

I have really enjoyed writing about the sport I love: badminton. And more importantly, Para-Badminton. This book is a compilation of the incredible experiences and adventures that, knitted together over the years form the exciting tapestry of my life. To all the wonderful people who have influenced and supported me in my badminton efforts, I am truly grateful to you. I thank you for letting me mention you and share the stories of our para-badminton adventures within this book.

In those very early days of para-badminton there was no defined selection pathway for disabled players to show off their badminton skills by representing their country at the international level. The classification at that time was limited to above waist handicap, below waist handicap and wheelchair player. The degree of disability for wheelchair players was not broken down further for competition purposes. Of the 5 para-badminton players in the UK who wanted to compete at the highest levels possible, I was the only amputee on the team and was classified as having a below waist handicap.

As four standing players and one wheelchair player we took on the challenge to see how it would work out in the real world of international tournaments. We were self-selected and self-funded and felt like true pioneers for the sport of para-badminton at such a high level of competition. If an official Team GB (Paralympic) selection and funding process had been in place all those years ago, we would have been some of the first to apply and incredibly proud if we had been chosen to wear the official Team GB competition kit!

One person who truly deserves a special mention is Dr Jim Mackay; a Scottish wheelchair badminton player who made his home in Wales. He is a man with the vision, drive and energy to promote the concept of para-badminton as a competitive sport for UK players at the highest levels. He was convinced that it was possible, and that conviction gave us the motivation to make a sustained, consistent effort over many years to both play the sport and keep playing; to compete and keep competing locally, nationally and internationally.

Another inspirational, able-bodied player who I looked up to throughout my para-badminton career is Derek Batchelor. I met him when I started working with Badminton England developing the sport for other disabled players. From humble beginnings as a grassroots club player Derek went on to coach and develop the sport regionally and nationally. I invited him over to Germany to watch a para-badminton tournament, which he did. And he's been involved ever since.

So strong was his belief in the benefits of badminton / para-badminton that he rose through the ranks in various roles and went on to become Chairman of Badminton England for many years. Without his tremendous enthusiasm we wouldn't have achieved as much as we have as a nation within the sport. As recently as 2019 he handed over the honour of the Chairmanship to Michael Robinson who I am sure will do many great things in the role.

As para-badminton developed in the UK, so did the organisational and regulatory structures surrounding it. In the United Kingdom (UK) alone, an immense thank you must go to Badminton England, Badminton Scotland, Badminton Wales and to the Ulster Branch of Badminton Ireland for starting off the Four Nations competitions in particular. It's an excellent way for us to connect with our friends and fellow players around the UK.

In the very early days, (for amputees), para-badminton was simply one element of the Amputee Games organised annually by the British Amputee Sports Association. In later years they became the British Amputee Sports and Les Autres Association. The Amputee Games were always well supported every year by the Douglas Bader Foundation and often took place at Stoke Mandeville Stadium Leisure Centre, Aylesbury, England.

The International Badminton Association for the Disabled (IBAD) was eventually formed in 1995 at Stoke Mandeville. This was where the journey to include para-badminton within the Paralympics truly started. A special thanks goes to Paul Kurzo, Vice President for Para-Badminton at the BWF and Member of its Council and Executive Board for his kind assistance with this book. It is also important to mention Lyndon Williams who was Director of Badminton Wales and played a prominent role in expanding the para-badminton coach education and development programme globally. He was always there as a friend for me whenever I needed advice and a very helpful person who would go out of his way to assist and support badminton players as much as he possibly could. Also, thanks go to Richard Perot, France Para-Badminton President, BWF Chair, Para-Badminton Athletes' Commission, IPC Agitos Foundation Proud Paralympian Educator (amongst other roles). When I first met Richard, I found him to be very keen and we got on very well together. He has achieved the great heights of leadership in the sport which I dreamed of and aspired to when I was much younger.

The growth of para-badminton as a sport could not have taken place without the energetic participation of a long list of people at many different levels. All the players at local clubs, coaches, club members, umpires, tournament referees, organising committees, volunteers, line judges, tournament competitors and the countries hosting para-badminton tournaments around the world. You have created an exciting sports...