Saina Nehwal Among Integrity Ambassadors To Promote Clean Sport

After achieving the feat of being country’s leading women’s singles shuttler, Saina Nehwal yet again gave us another great reason to be proud of her.

Badminton ace Saina's name figures in Badminton World Federation's (BWF) top five Integrity Ambassadors for their “i am badminton” programme. She will promote clean sport.

.@NSaina was also one of five players appointed @bwfmedia integrity ambassadors today https://t.co/mFwYMDjRKo #BadmintonDubai #DubaiSSF pic.twitter.com/frwEz4zH2H

— Mike Pavitt (@michael_pavitt) December 13, 2016

Denmark's Christinna Pedersen and Viktor Axelsen, and Saina, who is a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes’ Commission, were joined by Japan’s Olympic women’s doubles champions Misaki Matsutomo and Ayaka Takanashi, who were last night jointly named Female Player of the Year. They were presented to the media by BWF Deputy President Gustavo Salazar Delgado on the eve of the Dubai World Superseries Finals, which starts today (December 14).

“The campaign seeks to underline our commitment to clean, fair and honourable sport,” said Gustavo Delgado, BWF deputy-president, One India reported.

"In establishing this (integrity) programme, we determined that, as our players are at the centre of our sport, it would be fitting to have some of them represent the 'i am badminton' campaign as ambassadors," explained Delgado.

Also Read: World #1 Saina Nehwal vows to work harder at the top

The campaign, which was began last season, selects the ambassadors from across the sport’s international spectrum and they will represent the campaign’s values and serve as role models for the badminton world. The programme was first launched at the 2015 BWF World Junior Championships, aiming to be a therapist to various threats such as doping, match fixing, illegal betting and corruption.

“i am badminton” campaign was launched during the 2015 BWF Junior World Championships (Pic credit: BWF)

Elaborating on the Integrity Ambassadors' initiative, BWF Secretary General Thomas Lund said: "We want players to commit to upholding their integrity and thereby that of our sport. It's an opportunity for them to let the world know what they stand for -- that they are clean and honest athletes who love badminton. "These ambassadors will speak about the importance of integrity to their peers and engage in various promotional activities with the BWF."

The competition is going to take place in Dubai for five days, and the finals scheduled to be held on Sunday (December 18).

We hope Saina returns as a winner.

Also Read: Radha Kapoor on how India’s sporting successes can lift the nation’s spirits

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