“Carolina is like Messi”

See the Bernabéu? A basketball game? Tennis? “Meet Carolina Marín”, responded a representative of the Indonesian government during an official visit to Madrid. “He came to the CSD and a few tears fell on the man…”, recalls the president of the Spanish Badminton Federation (FESBA), Andoni Azurmendi, in conversation with this newspaper. “There, Carolina is an idol of the masses. She is like Messi in Spain. Here she is well known, but in Indonesia she would tell you that she cannot walk down the street, there is no one who does not know her ”, she extends herself. This week, in the Madrid Spain Masters (today, around 5:00 p.m., he plays the semifinals), the woman from Huelva does not stop taking photos and signing autographs. She doesn’t usually compete in Spain and whenever she does, she is special. For her and for a hobby that has skyrocketed in recent years. “Playing at home, with my family and all the people who come to see me, is exciting,” thanked the Olympic champion after overcoming her debut in the newly created tournament.

Eleven months ago, Carolina reappeared in Madrid to return to competition after tearing the cruciate ligament and the internal and external menisci of her left knee. 337 days after such injury, got his sixth continental crown in some Europeans that, really, had to be held in the Finnish city of Lahti, which he resigned at the last minute. Badminton Europe got in touch with the FESBA and, thanks to the Madrid City Council, the Gallur Municipal Sports Center, in record time, became a continental venue. “They have a lot of confidence in us and they challenged us to organize it”, explains Azurmendi. Challenge completed. According to data from the City Council, the European Championships were the third sporting event that had the greatest impact in the capital, behind the Mutua Madrid Open and the Vuelta a España. Now, and until 2026, Madrid has become one of the 22 venues on the international circuit (World Tour). Prize.

“When the Europeans finished, we had a meeting with the City Council. We proposed to organize this test and they really liked the idea”, recalls the president of the FESB. After competing with countries like the United States, India, Germany or Switzerland, Spain became a stop on the World Tour for the fifth time in its history. Before Madrid, there were Barcelona (from 2018 to 2020) and Huelva (2021), with an aggregate of more than 650 million viewers worldwide (55% in Asia) and an advertising impact valued at 55.9 million euros. After that, the World Cups arrived in the Huelva city (2021) and the Europeans in the capital (2022). A domino effect that will continue. “By 2028, the Spanish Federation has signed an agreement with the European Federation to organize eight European Championships of various categories: two absolute, two for veterans, one for clubs, one under-19, one under-17 and one for team selections (Thomas Cup)”, reveals Azurmendi. And other World Cups? “We have it in mind, but it is difficult for them to be awarded so often,” he adds.

Is there life after Carolina?

“Carolina retired several rivals and this is the law of life: now, there will be some players who will push her towards the end of her career,” the Huelva coach, Fernando Rivas, admitted to this newspaper before the start of the Madrid tournament. The end of an era is near. The Olympic Games in Paris, next year, are the only safe horizon, barring setbacks. Regardless of what happens, yes, there is calm within the federation. “We have to be proud of it, to be able to enjoy it. Our obsession, I believe, should not be to find another Carolina. Just like in tennis, it should not be an obsession to find another Nadal. Mainly, because it is very difficult for it to happen again. In tennis there is an Alcaraz, but it is that Nadal’s numbers are very large. Carolina’s numbers, too. No other country in the world has a player with three World Cups. Not even China! ”, highlights Andoni, whose strategic plan points towards the base.

In 2021, the federation commissioned a study from an external company. Its conclusions indicated that, in Spain, there are 200,000 people who play badminton, meaning practitioners as those who play at least once a week. In 2022, the 10,000 national licenses (25,000 territorial) were exceeded for the first time, representing an increase of 10% compared to the previous year. “I prefer badminton with 200,000 practitioners and 10,000 licenses than badminton with 50,000 practitioners and 50,000 licenses,” Azurmendi defends. “Once they told me: ‘Do you know what the success of paddle tennis is? That the bad guys also play it’. And it’s true, ”she stretches herself. And she applies it to look to the future. “Of course I would like to have a world champion every year, but my preference is to have a large mass of practitioners. Then our job will be to convert them into licenses. I am sure that when we have a million players, we will have another world champion ”, he develops. And, unlike Carolina, she will no longer be “a daisy that has grown on concrete.”