Hong Kong ex-Paralympian Daniel Chan aims to improve badminton players' lives in new role

South China Morning Post

19-06-2025

Two-time Paralympic medallist Daniel Chan Ho-yuen hoped to push for more resources from the Badminton World Federation (BWF) to further develop the sport worldwide after being appointed chair of the Para Badminton Athletes' Commission and a BWF Council member last Thursday.
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While his chairmanship is technically only until re-elections in December – though there was an understanding with the BWF that he would continue in the role and his re-election would be a formality – Chan intended to use his time in the position to improve the conditions for those still playing the sport.
'It wasn't even a Paralympic sport when I first started serving,' said Chan, who has been a commission member for eight years. 'It is now a sport, and people are learning more about it, but the resources are lacking and quite poor.
'We are lucky in Hong Kong because we can be full-time athletes, but that is not the case for athletes in many other countries.'
Daniel Chan won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021. Photo: Hong Kong Paralympic Association
Chan, who won a bronze and silver medal at the Tokyo and Paris Paralympics respectively, also said that badminton's prominence in Asia meant the sport in the region was better off than in the other continents.
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'In Europe, Africa, South America and even Oceania, where badminton isn't a prime sport or as much a part of the culture, players need to cover their own expenses to compete overseas, and this can be very expensive,' he said.