3 questions to BERTRAND PICHONNIER
What is your role and what are your tasks in this tournament?
« I am responsible for the liaison officers on the Yonex IFB.
Concretely, I supervise a team of eight to ten volunteers, depending on the editions, and I coordinate all their missions with the delegations. I make sure that everyone is assigned to the right teams according to their skills, especially their language skills, that schedules are well organized, in collaboration with the Federation’s volunteer manager, and that everything goes as smoothly as possible.
Our main mission is to accompany the delegations of players and all their staff – coaches, physios or others – throughout their stay, from their arrival to their departure. Our goal is to offer them the best possible experience so that they can focus only on their sports performance. Throughout the week, we act as a link between the delegations and the different teams in the tournament. In particular, we collect their requests for training slots, in coordination with the team in charge of training. We also liaise with the referees, the medical teams and the various departments of the tournament to quickly find solutions when a need or an unforeseen event arises. »
What made you want to commit specifically to the Yonex IFB?
« Above all, it is the passion for badminton. I have been practicing this sport for many years and I have always attended major international competitions. Having a tournament of the highest level in France was an opportunity, and I wanted one day to discover what is happening on the other side of the pitch, behind the scenes.
I also wanted to use my skills in badminton. I am an English teacher and bilingual, so the role of liaison officer suited me perfectly. So I applied and had the chance to join the team. At first, I was in charge of delegations (England, Scotland and Ireland), then the Federation entrusted me with the role of liaison officer manager, which opened the doors for other major international events such as the 2025 World Championships, several European Championships, the Orléans Masters and, of course, the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris.
What I immediately liked was the human contact. Being as close as possible to the players and their staff, interacting with people from all over the world, accompanying them and contributing, at my level, to the success of their stay in France, is an extremely enriching experience.
Even today, it is this same passion that motivates me to invest myself every year in the Yonex IFB and to contribute, with the whole team of volunteers, to bring a major international event to life in France. »
If you had to keep one memory, which one would it be and why?
« Honestly, each edition of the Yonex IFB brings its share of memories, encounters and emotions.
What I remember above all is human relationships. Over the years, I have had the chance to meet players and staff members from all over the world, to create real friendships with some of them with whom I talk very regularly, and to share their daily life for a whole week.
Every year, it’s also a real pleasure to meet all the people who make this tournament live (FFBaD, BWF, technical officials and volunteers).
It is ultimately these exchanges, this sharing, these meetings and the bonds that are created, which make me want to come back every year. »
Come and attend an exceptional event bringing together the world’s best players! They will take place from 20 to 25 October at the Arena Grand Paris in Tremblay-en-France (93).