The French Badminton Federation has announced the appointment of Fernando Rivas as head of the tricolor badminton players. Other reinforcements join the FFBaD.
The French Badminton Federation (FFBaD) has unveiled the name of the new manager of the French badminton team. This is Fernando Rivas, coach of the Spanish Carolina Marin, who won Olympic gold in 2016 as well as three world champion titles (2014, 2015, 2018). The Iberian was presented Wednesday morning to the INSEP (National Institute of Sport, Expertise and Performance) during a press conference devoted to the new organization of performance within the Federation.
Fernando Rivas, in addition to being a coach, is also a doctor of sports science and the author of a thesis on the parameters of high performance in badminton. He had been working since 2004 with the Spanish Badminton Federation. He will now devote himself to French seniors on a half-time basis until August 31, 2024, while continuing to train Carolina Marin. In France, Fernando Rivas will work together with the French coaches, Baptiste Carême for the doubles and Maxime Michel for the singles.
New faces present at the FFBaD
In parallel with the appointment of Fernando Rivas, other people have swelled the ranks of the performance cell of the federation. Thierry Soler, former head of the INSEP performance division, becomes the tricolor badminton performance director. He will be responsible for the able-bodied and para-badminton sectors. Jérôme Careil, national technical director (DTN) of French badminton, is thrilled by the arrivals of Rivas and Soler within the Federation.
« These two arrivals allow us to have a double outside view. A view from outside badminton, and another from abroad. Our problem for years has been to transform our good results in young people into seniors. Among the able-bodied, where our players are still young, the idea is to prepare Paris 2024 as well as possible, and use these Games for Los Angeles 2028.”, explained Jérôme Careil at a press conference. Before thinking about the Olympics, French badminton sailors will compete in a World Tour Masters event (Super 100 level) from March 29 to April 3 in Orléans, then the European Championships in Madrid from April 25 to 30.
Pierrick Bastide
