MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands completes successfully Badminton Cup, despite Argentina; Canada wins both categories

The Falklands flag hangs next to those of the other Badminton Pan Am Cup in Salvador, Brazil

The Falkland Islands female team competing at the Badminton Pan Am Cup in Brazil gallantly completed its participation in the four-day event, despite protests and bullying from Argentina. Meanwhile Canada successfully defended both titles on finals day at the Pan Am Male and Female Cup.

Canada's women brushed aside United States 3-0 in the Brazilian city of Salvador, with the men beating Mexico 3-1.

Both sides were the top seeds at the Centro Pan-Americano de Judô venue as they reclaimed the crowns they won in Trinidad and Tobago in 2018.

Victory means the men have qualified for the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Thomas Cup, while the women will contest the BWF Uber Cup.

Four-time Pan American Games champion Michelle Li got the Canadian women off and running by beating American Natalie Chi 21-12, 21-6.

A doubles rubber followed which was won 21-15, 22-20 by Catherine Choi and Wen Yu Zhang over Kuei-Ya Chen and Chinue De La Merced.

Brittney Tam then wrapped up the final by beating Esther Shi 21-11, 21-16.

In the men's final, Jason Anthony Ho-Shue put Canada in charge by beating Mexico's Lino Munoz 21-7, 22-20.

Brian Yang moved his country to the brink with a 21-14, 21-19 success over Job Castillo but Luis Navarro gave Mexico hope by coming from behind to beat Antonio Li, 16-21, 21-19, 21-17.

Yang returned to settle the final as he teamed with Joshua Hurlburt-Yu to beat Castillo and Munoz 22-20, 21-16 in the doubles.

In the Pan Am female completion, seven teams participated divided in two zones, one with Canada, Mexico and Guatemala and the second with Brazil, USA, Peru and the Falkland Islands. The Islands lost all matches, with USA, Peru, Brazil and Guatemala, but gained great international experience.

At the beginning of the Cup, Falkland Islands made a formal complaint against Argentina after claiming the country put pressure on them to withdraw from the women's event. Argentina argued that the Falklands, and their flag, was not a state recognized internationally and demanded it changed its name to Malvinas or leave the competition.

This was “in order to highlight that the Falkland Islands are not a state recognized by the international community”.

But Falkland Islands officials met with Badminton Pan America President Vishu Tolan and chief operating officer Pilar Carrillo La Fuente to discuss the issue. They said they have the “full backing” of the organization and the Badminton World Federation (BWF) and will not back down to “bullies”.

“We have lodged a formal complaint with Badminton PanAm against Argentina which will be taken to the BWF and International Olympic Committee,” a statement said.

“The Falkland Islands badminton team has attended the tournament draw where we paid our entry fee to officially enter the tournament and we have insisted on our flag flying proudly alongside the other country's flags.

”The team are very much looking forward to playing and are focusing their energy on that”.

An incident of similar conditions occurred last year with cricket and the International Cricket Council, which finally entitled the Falkland Islands to take part in the annual South American cricket championship, and extended to the Falklands Cricket Association its ICC status.