Badminton Oceania has announced that the VICTOR Oceania Championships 2022 (individual events) have been postponed.
This is due to the ongoing uncertainties and complications surrounding the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Furthermore, Badminton Oceania, in consultation with hosts Badminton North Harbour and the Badminton World Federation, announced that the Junior Individual and Mixed Team Championships, along with the Men’s and Women’s Team Championships have been cancelled.
Originally, the 2022 edition of the Continental Championships were set to include:
- VICTOR Oceania Junior Mixed Team Championships 2022: 11-13 February 2022
- VICTOR Oceania Championships 2022: 14-17 February 2022
- VICTOR Oceania Junior Championships 2022: 14-17 February 2022
- VICTOR Oceania Men’s and Women’s Team Championships 2022: 18-20 February 2022
As the current rules stand (according to the New Zealand government), only players from the Cook Islands would be allowed into the host country in a quarantine-free system from 14 January 2022 onwards.
The NZ government have indicated that they will open the border to Australian citizens as from 14 February and other countries from 30 April 2022, with all arrivals (except Cook Islands) required to home isolate for seven days (no training outside of “home” allowed during this time).
Similarly, if New Zealanders leave the country and return, they too must isolate for seven days (unless returning from the Cook Islands).
“As the Open Continental Championships are constrained to a certain timeframe (Week 7 or 17 of the tournament calendar), the rules and associated logistics do not currently allow the tournament to take place in New Zealand, meaning that we had no other options available to us other than to cancel the Men’s and Women’s Team Championships,” says Badminton Oceania Secretary General/CEO, Julie Carrel.
“We have a possible alternative option for the Oceania Championships (individuals) which is why we have announced that these Championships are currently postponed.
“We feel incredibly disappointed and frustrated to have to cancel our Championships once again. However, this is out of our control and we will look forward to hopefully being able to stage the individual Championships in April and the juniors in 2023.”
POSTPONED
The VICTOR Oceania Individual Championships 2022, which have been postponed, have the option to be played in week 17 of the BWF tournament calendar (28 April – 1 May) in Australia (most likely Melbourne or Sydney). The final decision whether the tournament will go ahead during this week will be advised no later than 1 March 2022 and will be made in consultation with the BWF.
If the Championships cannot take place during this week, they will be cancelled for 2022.
CANCELLED
The VICTOR Oceania Men’s and Women’s Team Championships 2022 was the qualifying event for the BWF Thomas and Uber Cup Finals 2022 in May (hosted in Bangkok). However, the cancellation means that the qualifying team in each category will be determined by the accumulated World Rankings of a Member Association’s players.
The BWF will lead this process.
There will not be any subsidy available from BOC to the teams who attend the finals.
The VICTOR Oceania Junior Championships (team and individuals) are traditionally held every two years.
The 2022 edition was set to replace the cancelled 2021 decision. The cancellation means that this will allow Member Countries to now focus on the next VICTOR Oceania Junior Championships (Mixed Team and Individuals) will be in February 2023.
MOVING FORWARD
Badminton Oceania would like to thank Badminton North Harbour for their patience in preparing to host the Continental Championships in both 2021 and 2022, with both being cancelled.
However, Badminton Oceania can confirm that Badminton North Harbour will remain hosts of the VICTOR Oceania Championships 2023, which will include the Open and Junior Individual and Mixed Team (Sudirman Cup qualification) events in February 2023.
Additionally, member associations and players can look forward to exciting announcements in early 2022, as a number of BWF Grade 3 tournaments are preparing to take place in Oceania across the second half of 2022.
Any updates to the tournament calendar will be available to view at BadmintonOceania.org/2022-events.