The many tours of Badminton teams to and from the People's Republic of China, and the playing successes of the Chinese, have naturally drawn attention to the fact that the Badminton Association of the People's Republic of China is not yet a member of the International Badminton Federation. Because of that the country's players are denied the right to compete in the open championships of other nations, as well as in the great international contests for the Thomas Cup and the Uber Cup.
Affiliated to the l.B.F., and recognised by the latter as a national organisation, is the National Badminton Association of the Republic of China which has its headquarters in Taiwan. This organisation was elected in 1957,and it has been a member in good standing ever since. It was formed out of the China National Amateur Athletic Federation, which itself was founded some fifty years ago with headquarters in Shanghai, and has competed for the Thomas Cup and entered teams regularly in the Asian Games and in the Asian Championships. lt will doubtlessly wish to repeat such participation, which it has done under the title of "Republic of China".
Its parent organisation is recognised by many international bodies, as is another of its affiliates, the Republic of China Olympic Committee, by the International Olympic Committee for purposes of the Olympic Games. In the late forties the China National Amateur Athletic Federation and its off-shoots moved their headquarters to Taiwan.
Subsequently, there has operated from Peking a body called the All-China Sports Federation to which are affiliated the various organisations governing individual sports on the Chinese mainland. Amongst these is the Badminton Association of the People's Republic of China, which in the eyes of the I.B.F. would also be eligible for membership on the basis that, in the practical sense, it too complies with the l.B.F. definition of a national organisation.
This definition reads:
"A national organisation is a body recognised by the International Badminton Federation as controlling the game in its own country and having at least 500 playing members in the clubs affiliated to it. A General Meeting shall have power to recognised different frontiers, from those politically recognised, as defining the territory governed by a national organisation...
Unfortunately, the present policy of the All-China Sports Federation, with which its different sports bodies are bound to comply, is that it will not permit affiliation to any international federation which recognises any organisation based on Taiwan. It is unshakeable in its view that Taiwan is only a province of China, and that the problem at present existing is a purely domestic one for the Chinese to solve.
We believe that many international federations would be willing, as is the I.B.F. to grant membership to the appropriate governing bodies of both parts of this great Asian nation. The I.B.F. did this very successfully in the case of West Germany and the German Democratic Republic fifteen years ago, long before the policy was adopted in other quarters. But such a solution is at present prevented by the adamant policy emanating from Peking.
-- H.A.E. Scheele, World Badminton No 7 Jan-Feb 1973, Cover