The award was presented to BWF development manager John Shearer by TAFISA's President Ju-Ho Chang and Secretary General Wolfgang Baumann at the recent TAFISA World Congress 2015 in Hungarian capital Budapest, which was attended by more than 400 delegates from 71 countries, including officials from the International Olympic Committee.

Shearer showcased the “Shuttle Time” programme, launched in 2012, to attendees at the event, detailing how it is delivered globally and how it is vital to achieving BWF’s vision of making badminton “the most played school sport in primary and secondary schools worldwide”.

“BWF is pleased to be recognised for our development work,” BWF development chair David Cabello said.

“Receiving this award is further validation that we are on the right path and developing badminton with a sustainable long-term focus.

“It is great encouragement for us and our entire membership who are dedicated to our development goals.

“On behalf of BWF, thank you to TAFISA.

“We look forward to continued good relations with our colleagues at TAFISA.”

The “Shuttle Time” scheme helps teachers in schools learn skills in order to deliver badminton lessons to children and youth.

The self-study programme offers a range of training resources including lesson plans and instructional video clips, with the BWF saying it has been implemented in 94 schools so far.

On the final day of the Congress, held from October 14 to 18, Marian ter Haar of the Netherlands, one of the key attendees at the event, praised the work of the initiative.

She claimed it demonstrates “the importance of more play, less standardisation” and said the way the programme works can be used as an example to other sports.