15 October 2026 - Badminton BC is issuing this official statement to address and correct the black card disqualification issued to a pair of competing players during the recent badminton tournament at VLT on October 2-4, 2026.
Following a full internal review, Badminton BC confirms that the black card was awarded based on a misunderstanding regarding official accreditation, caused by an administrative oversight from Badminton BC staff.
Badminton BC formally rescinds the disqualification completely.We unequivocally clear the two players and their coach of any wrongdoing or procedural non-compliance. Furthermore, we confirm that upon review, the coach was found to be fully accredited for the competition.
We recognize that issuing a black card under these circumstances was an unnecessary and excessive escalation that should have been avoided.
We accept full responsibility for this error and sincerely apologize to the impacted players, the coach, their families, and the broader badminton community for the frustration, distress, and disruption this incident caused.
In addition, the Officials Committee has been directly engaged to clarify and address a clear Code of Conduct and its proper implementation going forward. They are actively working alongside BBC staff on fixes to ensure appropriate, measured decision-making and maintain fairness, clear communication, and consistency across all officiated events.
Badminton BC is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and support for our athletes, coaches, and officials, and we are taking immediate steps to reinforce our administrative and accreditation processes to ensure such misunderstandings do not recur.
James Holloway
General Operations Manager
Badminton BC
james.holloway@badmintonbc.com