GC Foster gets PanAm green light for PanAm Champs

GC FOSTER College of Physical Education and Sports has been ratified by the Badminton Pan American Confederation (BPAC) to host the Yonex Pan American (PanAm) Badminton Championships in April.

A delegation from BPAC made the approval after recently visiting the island and inspecting GC Foster in a walk-through with members of the Local Organising Committee (LOC).

“They came to view the location and the facilities and then to complete the ratification of us hosting the tournament there, and that was done. They are satisfied with the facility, and they have, in fact, ratified the facility for the competition,” president of the Jamaica Badminton Association (JBA), Sheldon Townsend, said.

“We just did a walk-through to show them what our plans are in terms of the changes and the commitment from GC Foster and, as such, they were quite pleased with the infrastructure, the facility and the plans.

“They just went through what our plans were in terms of infrastructure because they had requirements such as bathrooms are supposed to be separate with individual bathrooms for the athletes, separate from the spectators, places for media houses and VIP,” he continued.

Jamaica successfully bid to host the Yonex PanAm Champs in October and will forgo the usual annual Jamaica International Badminton Tournament. The Yonex PanAm Champs is ranked higher at the international level.

Meanwhile, according to Townsend, GC Foster has agreed to improve aspects of the facility to enable the event’s staging, with the higher-education institution also set to benefit from being the host.

“GC Foster has, in fact, given us the commitment in just improving the infrastructure, for instance, they are going to have to now consider blocking out the light that is coming into the gymnasium and all those plans are afoot,” Townsend said.

“BPAC will not be providing us with cash funding but what they are giving us is equipment and the preparation of the facility. That’s basically their commitment and any other funding, we would have to raise that through efforts from corporate Jamaica.

“They will come along with their own equipment and all will be gifted to GC Foster College,” said Townsend.