WHO WE ARE

Badzine was started in 2003, in France first, home of its two creators, Raphael Sachetat, reporter and photographer, and his friend Jean Francois Chauveau, the technical mind behind the websites. This website, which was meant to be just a fun way of giving information, soon became inescapable and a year later, cousin websites sprang up to add to the family.

The success couldn’t stop there and it was a whole team of correspondents who then decided to join Raphael and Jean Francois to create a website that would hopefully make a difference in the world of badminton and Badzine’s international version was under way… We believe that we are trustworthy in our way of treating the information as well as enjoying ourselves in original features which you will see on Badzine.net.  Enjoy!

The Team:

Raphael Sachetat – Chief Editor

Reporter, photographer, freelance and free of mind has been coming up with ideas on how to develop his favourite sport.  His target: reach as many people as he can with photos and articles to promote the game, and build a charity association which will benefit the notoriety of the websites he has created, which has been achieved in late 2009 with the birth of Solibad – Badminton Without Borders. He believes badminton has to be taken as a professional sport and handled as such, keeping the fun and joyful spirit which surrounds this world. Raphael has been a professional reporter since 1998 and has contributed to many badminton-related magazines and newspapers as well as other magazines and associations (such as Amnesty International).

Jean Francois Chauveau – Webmaster

He is the man behind the tools. A computer engineer working in a bank in the south of France, Jeff spends most of his spare time working on developing websites for the badminton world. After creating his club’s website, he and Raphael created Badmintonphoto (www.badmintonphoto.com and www.badmintonwire.net for professionals) which became the official photo agency of the Badminton World Federation.  All Badzine websites were originally created by Jeff.

Don Hearn – Editor, based in Korea

Don hails from one of Canada’s tiny, rural pockets of badminton interest but after playing and loving the sport for many pre-Internet years with no connection to the badminton world at large, he moved to one of its true meccas. After years of following the local and international scene closely in Korea, Don joined the Badzine team and has since provided annual coverage of badminton’s most lucrative tournament, the Korea Open and will continue to bring the action back to the badminton world whenever its best players are invited to this corner of Asia. Though employed to assist the students of one Korean university in their quest for command of a global language, Don hopes that Badzine can promote badminton to the place it deserves as a global sport.  Contact him at: don @ badzine.net

Manuel Roesler (Editor of Badzine Germany): German badminton expert in spite of his young age, he has coached youngsters and has dedicated his time and effort to the world of information, working for Badminton Austria as a Media Officer. He is also the editor and media agent of Peter Gade’s website.

Contributors/Writers:

ASIA PACIFIC

Serla Rusli, Correspondent in Singapore

Starting out as an avid badminton fan, Serla has grown to love the role of a sports journalist that she has taken on since joining Badzine. To her, it has been two dreams coming true at the same time – becoming a part-time journalist as well as being closer to the professional badminton circuit. Serla is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Accountancy at Singapore Management University.

Ooi Ee Lyn, Correspondent in Malaysia

Ee Lyn joined Badzine after Raphael spotted her badminton article translations on a forum when she was 15. Since then, her love for the written word grew stronger. She then studied Broadcasting & TV filming for a year before switching and graduating with a diploma in Journalism. Currently, she is a full-time university student majoring in Psychology while working on improving her fourth language – Korean. Ee Lyn experienced work at an international music label while at college, but she learnt that her heart races more for sports. Her dream is to become an interpreter/translator for sports – if not exclusively for badminton; and to complete her badminton grand slam through live reporting.

Aaron Wong, Correspondent in AustraliaAaron Wong studied Economics and English. Every Sunday since 1997, he looks forward more than anything else to having a hit with the youngsters at his badminton club or looking after them at competitions. When quizzed on how to produce a backhand, Aaron quipped that it springs from the soul and is purely a matter of enjoyment. The editor of Badzine found this Australian lost and trying to find his way to the World Championships in Kuala Lumpur.

Miyuki Komiya, Correspondent in Japan

Miyuki has played badminton for more than 20 years. Badminton has given her a lot of precious memories as a player and a coach and she has always thought about what she can do for badminton. She has heard it is difficult for non-Japanese to find a place to play in Japan. So she started voluntarily helping foreigners 3 years ago. This activity gave her many chances to meet many badminton players including top players. She is working as a researcher and an application programmer for an analysis of Global Warming. After work, she takes care of her son. Days can be tough juggling both, but Miyuki wants to make people feel happy through all of her activities including Badzine!

Gerald Jew Correspondent in Thailand

Gerald is one of the newest Badzine correspondents but has taken its job at heart with his first task during the Thailand Open. He takes care of his family in Bangkok and has been a badminton fan for many years, as a spectator and as a leisure player himself.

Adrian Kok , Correspondent in Malaysia

Working as a Business Analyst in a management consulting department for a Swiss company, he is extremely passionate about badminton.  Adrian lives and works in Kuala Lumpur, where he is also an avid badminton player.  He feels blessed with the opportunity to work with Badzine.

EUROPE

Tarek Hafi, Correspondent in France

Tarek speaks five different languages but is mostly fluent in badminton dialect. Currently in process of working on his Chinese/business degree after two years of French literature studies, this young Frenchman desperately wants to discover every corner in the world because he strongly thinks that someone’s culture is the most valuable thing in the world. His love for all kind of literature went with his love for writing after he entered the Badzine world at the age of 17. Totally fond of Asian culture, his dream of being a successful journalist afterwards is currently at its paroxysm. Since 2005, he’s been watching Badzine growing day by day and definitely wants to see Badzine as the most complete badminton magazine in the world, known by many and not just badminton’s netizens.

Elm Vandevorst, Correspondent in Belgium

Elm has been writing for the Flemish badminton League for several years now, and has gained good insight into badminton in Belgium.  This means that the most important event of the year is, of course, the Belgian International, held every year in September.

The Belgian International led to a growing interest for the European Badminton Circuit, which Elm tries to follow as much as possible. Last but not least among his interests are the ‘undervalued’ junior tournaments where the stars of tomorrow are already shining today.

Mark Phelan – Guest correspondent, based in Ireland

Mark lives in Rep of Ireland and outside of his day job of running two surveying firms he is a dedicated badminton fan and local player. Mark maintains and updates his local club blog and website on a daily basis and has a keen interest in following the fortunes on the lesser known players on the European and world badminton circuits. Mark has travelled to numerous international badminton events over the past number of years and he now wishes to bring his love for the game and his views to the world audience through badzine.net. In particular, Mark will follow the fortunes of the lesser-known players and will focus on detailing the fortunes and the rise up the world rankings of Scott Evans from Ireland.

Janusz Rudzinski, Correspondent in Poland

One of the badminton key persons at the University of Warsaw and an editor of a Polish website www.badmintonzone.pl, Janusz is an expert and commentator of badminton events on Polish television and other media. He has enjoyed first reading and later working with Badzine from the beginning. As the Badzine correspondent in Poland, Janusz has tried to strengthen its bridgehead in that burgeoning corner of the badminton world.

NORTH AMERICA

Yves Lacroix, Photographer/Correspondent in Quebec

Based in Montreal, Yves is an archivist and photographer who has been part of the team since its infancy.  His work both behind the camera and behind the photo website is key to the success of Badzine.

Other Specialists

Official’s Whistle:  Michaela Bencova (BWF Certificated Umpire)
Coach’s Notebook:  Tjitte Weistra
Graphics: Pierre Jacob, graphic designer. In charge of banners/publicity; and Arnaud Enguilabert, graphic designer. He is behind the Badzine logo.

Remember that Badzine is always in need of new volunteers.  If you think you would like to be a part of the Badzine team, you can click here to fill in the questionnaire.   For more information, see this page.