For the first time in the history of Badminton Europe, an Awards Gala took place to crown the best European players of the previous year and to welcome the first member in the BEC Hall of Fame. The BEC Player Awards recognize the achievements and the contribution to European badminton by players engaged in all categories of our sport.

The BEC Best European Male Player, the BEC Best European Female Player and the BEC Best Young Player award recognizes the best players playing for a nation within the territory of a BEC Member Association during the previous year. The award should honor the achievement of a European male and female player at international stage. For the inaugural award, players were judged by their performances during the previous year.

More than 10.000 people from all over the world gave their votings via our website or Facebook page.

Best Male Player Of The Year 2012:
Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen (Denmark)

You can watch the nomination video for this category here.

Best Female Player Of The Year 2012:
Juliane Schenk (Germany)

You can watch the nomination video for this category here.

Best Young Player of the Year 2012:
Carolina Marin (Spain)

You can watch the nomination video for this category here.

The Developement department of Badminton Europe handed out to Awards for developing female badminton in Europe.

Women in badminton / Person of the Year:
Kirsten Larsen (Denmark)

You can watch a tribute video for Kirsten Larsen here.

Women in badminton / Project of the Year:
Serbian Badminton Federation for the Girls Project

Honorary Vice-President: Mr. Stellan Mohlin (Sweden)

Mr. Stellan Mohlin (Sweden) was elected Honorary Vice-President of Badminton Europe. Stellan Mohlin was one of Sweden’s finest players in the late 1940’s and 1950’s. With Nils “Tomten” Jonsson he won 12 Swedish MD titles and one Mixed Doubles, and he also excelled internationally, with a close Men’s Doubles semi-finals in the All England (with Nils Jonsson) among his best results.

But Stellan Mohlin’s achievements as a sports official, however, are of much greater importance, and he is certainly one of the most important leaders international badminton has ever known. He served the IBF as a Council Member from 1964 to 1969 and as a Vice-President from 1969 to 1976 when he was elected President. 

He was on 24th September 1967 in Frankfurt one of the founding fathers of EBU (today BEC) and on that day he was elected to the three man Executive Committee in charge of the Union. Stellan was elected Vice-President in 1968 and from 1969 to 1977 he served as a dynamic an innovative President of the young European Badminton Union. He only retired, because of his election to the Presidency of IBF.

Mr.Mohlin received the Award from Mr. Torsten Berg and got a long standing ovation by the guests.

BEC President's medal: Mr. Frank Wilson (England)

Mr. Frank Wilson (England) was honoured with the President's medal. Mr. Wilson was for the last twenty years of the 20th century a very active and useful Council and Committee member of the European Badminton Union, EBU, as BEC was known in those days. Frank’s contribution was never limited to his technical field of expertise. He often contributed in other areas, such as Finance, where his professional background was a very useful asset, and his sound judgment was always important when difficult decisions had to be taken.

He received the award from Mr. Torsten Berg and got a long standing ovation by the guests.

BWF Distinguished Service Award: Joao Matos (Portugal)

João Matos remains one of his country’s best badminton players, boasting six Men’s Doubles national championships. At age 30 in 1992, he became president of the Portuguese Badminton Federation and held the position for 20 years.

During that time, he modernised the organisation, building administrative facilities and a sports halls which has hosted many international tournaments. Matos was elected to the Council of the European Badminton Union in 1997 and served as Director of Communications (until 2008), and since then and until today as Vice-President. In 1997 he set up the EBU’s first website. His sports-administration services have extended to the Executive Board of Portugal’s National Olympic Committee and the European Olympic Committee’s Marketing and Communication Board.

We also have the first member of the BEC Hall of fame. Click here to find out who it is.

We have published more than 100 photos of the 1st BEC Awards Gala on our official Facebook page.