It was with the greatest possible regret that the Badminton world learned of the sudden and unexpected passing of the IBF President N. P. Kristensen on Easter Sunday 1965, at the age of 66.
N.P. Kristensen was elected to the IBF presidency two years earlier, in 1963.
However, he had served very actively on the IBF Council since 1946, from 1950 as Vice-President.
IBF President: 1963-1965
“Few people anywhere in the world have devoted so much time to the promotion of any game as did the man who was known in vast numbers of countries as just ‘Kris’ ”, wrote Herbert Scheele in his obituary.
Indeed, when he joined the Danish Association as Hon. Secretary in 1941, he was already an experienced chairman of the Valby club in Copenhagen, and he continued to look after the international affairs of his association when he was elected Vice-President in 1946 and president of the Danish BA in 1950, only to step down – and take over the Deputy Chair – when he was elected IBF President.
‘Kris’ was a man of quite extraordinary personal qualities.
He made numerous friends among players and officials worldwide, all through his many years as National and International Badminton official.
He used his personal abilities and diplomacy to spread and develop the game, often travelling with a team of Danish top players on tours to promote badminton all over the world.
Approachability, networking and working hard were key words leading to his results.
‘Kris’ made a significant contribution to the success of Danish badminton in the long period of his National leadership as well as to the growth and spread of international badminton in the 1950’s and 60’s and could have done even more, had his life and work not been cut short at the pinnacle of his career.
-- By Torsten Berg
