Seeon. Behind the scenes of the international badminton tournament

“This year, I really feel that we have improved in the organization. Four years ago, for the first edition, I could not have granted you five minutes. » This Saturday, it was finally an hour that we were able to spend with Florian Baud, communication and event manager at the Ligue Auvergne Rhône-Alpes de badminton and manager of the organization of the FZ Forza Alpes international, a competition reserved for young people from 19 and under whose finals are scheduled for this Sunday, April 9 at the Everest room in La Brunerie.

An event that has therefore come a long way since the premiere in 2019. Year after year, “we have learned”, thus appreciates Florian Baud. With the advantage also “that all the heads of poles have been the same for four years”. This is not negligible insofar as, to ensure the smooth running of four days of competition, no less than 200 people are needed. All volunteers or, at best, paid for by a tiny minority.

In order to fulfill its arm quota, the Badminton League has entered into various partnerships. With the National Union of School Sports (UNSS) first of all, which this year provides many line judges from high schools in Isère and Loire. Then with the City of Voiron, which provides beneficiaries of the student municipal contract. Finally, with justice, since some people sentenced to community service work hours for the benefit of the tournament; as well as National Universal Service employees.

Matches that follow one another from 9 a.m.

Then task Florian Baud and the various managers with dispatching them according to the needs of the various divisions. Even if “the vast majority is assigned to the refreshment bar”, admits the chief organizer.

Among the “basic” missions, there is also the installation and storage of the five play areas, without forgetting their cleaning. With the advantage for volunteers “to have breaks during the day to see matches”.

It must be said that these are linked without respite, from 9 am, according to a schedule established the evening before by the sports managers who ensure the best balance for the athletes, in particular those engaged in different categories.

In blue the line judges, in black the referees and in red the referees

For some on the other hand, the Voironnaise adventure has already ended even before the last day of competition. Coming from 17 different countries, all are taken care of by the organization which provides the shuttle between the different places of accommodation (TSF or hotels in the Voiron region), stations, airports and La Brunerie campus. For this, four minibuses had to be hired.

There are also many volunteers in the parts closed to the public in the Everest room. In the “call room” for example, where athletes have to wait before entering the field. They rub shoulders with officials divided into three colors to recognize them at first glance: in blue the line judges (sometimes therefore high school students in training), in black the referees and in red the referees. In this case two women installed at the scorer’s table with the mission of ensuring that the tournament takes place according to the rules.

Behind the pitches, we also finally find: the people in charge of replacing the shuttlecocks (martyrized by the power of the blows, 2,000 will be used throughout the week), the official photographer of the tournament and those responsible for video recording.

This is indeed a specificity of the competition in Voiron: all the matches are filmed, broadcast and sometimes commented live on YouTube. This week again, the milestone of 50,000 viewers should be exceeded.