Dane Hoyer Larsen new BWF head

Badminton’s world governing body (BWF) will create a separate commission to deal with match-fixing problems, Poul-Erik Hoyer Larsen said after being elected president, yesterday.

Denmark’s 1996 Olympic men’s singles gold medallist Hoyer Larsen beat Indonesian Justian Suhandinata to claim the role after an election in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The 47-year-old will replace South Korea’s Kang Young-joong who vacated the post after eight years at the helm.

“Badminton has been in my heart for my whole life,” Hoyer Larsen told reporters.

“I am really looking forward to work with the staff and my council members in order to deliver for the future.”

Hoyer Larsen will have four years to revive the sport, which came under fire at last year’s Olympics when four women’s doubles pairs from South Korea, China and Indonesia deliberately played to lose matches in order to get a more favourable draw.

The players were kicked out of the Games but not before it created the biggest scandal in badminton’s history as an Olympic sport.