P.V. Sindhu has moved from the court to the council table. The two-time Olympic medallist and 2019 World Champion officially assumed a full voting seat on the Badminton World Federation Council following her election as Chair of the BWF Athletes’ Commission for the 2026–2029 term.
She made her first appearance before the global badminton membership at the BWF Annual General Meeting in Horsens after completing the required vetting process. It marks the beginning of a formal governance role for a player who has been part of the BWF Athletes’ Commission since 2017 and has served as a BWF Integrity Ambassador since 2020.
The significance of her Council seat lies partly in its rarity. It remains uncommon for an active athlete competing at the highest level of the sport to simultaneously hold a voting position within badminton’s global governance structure. Sindhu, who continues to compete on the World Tour, now participates in decisions that shape the direction of the sport globally not as a consultant, but as a voting member.
She succeeds Indonesia’s Greysia Polii, who chaired the Athletes’ Commission from 2021 to 2025. Sindhu will be supported by Deputy Chair Debora Jille of the Netherlands, with An Se Young, Doha Hany, and Jia Yi Fan rounding out the Commission as player representatives.
“It is a true honour and privilege to take on this responsibility within the Badminton World Federation and to represent the voices of athletes from around the world,” Sindhu said. “I see this role as a bridge between athletes and administration.” She also acknowledged Polii’s contribution in the previous term.
BWF President Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul welcomed the appointment. “Athletes are the heart of our sport, and their voices must remain central to every decision we make,” she said, adding that she looked forward to working with Sindhu in the years ahead.
For a player who became the first Indian woman to win two Olympic medals, the shift into governance is another landmark this time off the court.
