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≡ USA BADMINTON ≡
In the long-running drama over the fitness of USA Badminton to serve as the National Governing Body for the sport in the U.S., the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee has asked USA Badminton to relinquish its status as the National Governing Body for the sport.
In a statement posted on 28 May, the federation explained, in pertinent part:
“We would like to inform you that USA Badminton (USAB) has received a letter today from the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC). In the letter, the USOPC acknowledged and appreciated USAB’s continued work and efforts toward meeting the requirements set forth by USOPC. However, the Compliance Review Group (CRG) has concluded that not all requirements have been fully satisfied at this time. As a result, the USOPC has requested that USAB submit a letter relinquishing its status as the National Governing Body (NGB) for the sport of badminton in the United States.
“USAB firmly believes that it has fulfilled the necessary requirements and that there may be breaches of the agreement previously entered into between USAB and the USOPC. Our Board of Directors along with Interim CEO John Ruger and staff are actively reviewing the situation and considering the appropriate course of action.”
The message noted that USA Badminton events are scheduled to continue as planned.
In a 22 May message, USA Badminton said it had participated in a hearing that day as part of the decertification process undertaken by the USOPC in October 2024, and took “the opportunity to present our progress, demonstrate our commitment to governance excellence, and reaffirm our dedication to serving athletes, clubs, and the broader badminton community.”
The USOPC has been looking into USA Badminton issues for some time, filing for decertification in 2019, then backing off, but alarmed over financial controls, governance, human resources procedures and a former chief executive who encouraged a staff member not to report an abuse case to the U.S. Center for SafeSport.
Now, the USOPC is taking a halfway measure, in this continuing review procedure known as a “Section 8” in USOPC parlance:
● By asking USA Badminton to exit as the National Governing Body for the sport in the U.S., the USOPC does not have to make a direct finding against it for failure to fulfill its duties under the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act, 36 U.S. §2205 et seq. (at §220527):
“If the corporation decides, as a result of the hearing, that the national governing body is not complying with sections 220522, 220524, and 220525 of this title, it shall—
“(A) place the national governing body on probation for a specified period of time, not to exceed 180 days, which the corporation considers necessary to enable the national governing body to comply with those sections; or
“(B) revoke the recognition of the national governing body.”
● Then, in §220528(g):
“If the national governing body does not comply with sections 220522, 220524, and 220525 of this title within the probationary period prescribed under subsection (f)(4) of this section, the corporation shall revoke the certification of the national governing body and either—
“(1) certify the applicant as the national governing body; or
“(2) declare a vacancy in the national governing body for that sport.”
● The USOPC has not placed USA Badminton on probation, nor has it revoked its status as the National Governing Body. If it decided to do so, the issue is still not settled, due to §220529(a):
“A party aggrieved by a determination of the corporation under section 220527 or 220528 of this title may obtain review by the arbitration and mediation provider designated by the corporation under section 220522(a)(4).”
So, now, USA Badminton has to decide how it wants to reply to the USOPC: agree to resign, ask for a formal probationary period, or challenge the USOPC to de-certify it and if done, take the USOPC to arbitration if it wishes to.
It’s a mess, but the next step is clear: it’s up to USA Badminton.
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