The Confederation of Mediterranean Badminton (COMEBA) successfully convened its 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Sunday, 26th April 2026, at the Hotel Pejsergården in Horsens, Denmark.
Led by Chairperson Mr Andoni Azurmendi Ibarrola, the Assembly achieved a strong quorum, with 18 of 24 active member federations in attendance, to review a landmark year of growth and vote on key strategic developments for the Mediterranean badminton community.
Key Resolutions & Statutory Approvals
The 2026 AGM marked an important phase of administrative stability and structural reinforcement for the Confederation. General Secretary Ms Jo’Anne Cassar presented a fully revised COMEBA Statute, which was unanimously approved by the Assembly.
Additionally, the delegation voted unanimously on the following measures:
- Council Confirmations: The formal confirmation of Ms Jo’Anne Cassar as General
Secretary and Mr Ioannis Kapos as a Council Member. Both had been stepping in to
fill vacancies following a resignation in 2025. - Financial Approval: Unanimous passing of the 2025 Financial Reports following an
overview presented by Treasurer Mr Mario Carulla Schultz. - Travel Support Petition: In response to member requests regarding delegate travel
costs, the Assembly voted to formally petition the Badminton World Federation
(BWF) for administrative travel support budgets.
Celebrating 2025 Milestones Delegates celebrated a highly productive 2025 financial year, spotlighted by two
breakthrough projects:
- The Inaugural COMEBA Championships: Vice President Mr Ratko Galjer showcased
the success of the first-ever championships held in Slovenia. Slovenian
representative Mr Gasper Krivec praised the event for boosting athlete engagement
and bringing immense « player joy » to the region. - Coaches’ Mentorship Program: Spearheaded by Mr Mario Carulla, this new initiative
utilised elite national training centres in Italy and Spain to mentor coaches from
Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, and Tunisia.
Looking Ahead: 2026 Projects & Expanded Networks
The vision for 2026 focuses heavily on expanding technical expertise and continental reach,
subject to BWF budget approval. - Mentorship Expansion: The highly praised Mentorship Program is officially
expanding its footprint, with Portugal and Turkey joining Spain and Italy as new
national training hubs.
– The Itinerant Program: COMEBA will launch a permanent technical assistance initiative. Approved experts will travel directly to Member Federations to deliver targeted, on-site support across four core pillars: coaching/player development, administrative planning, event organisation, and technical official training.
– Global Visibility: Acknowledging feedback from delegates like Mr Jassem Kanso (Lebanon), the leadership committed to deploying a more robust social media and promotional strategy to amplify COMEBA’s global presence.
Host Announcements: Destination Egypt 2027 In an exciting revelation for the Mediterranean circuit, President Azurmendi formally announced that the Egyptian Badminton Federation has been selected to host the 2027 COMEBA Championships. Dr Hadia Hosny, President of the Egyptian Badminton Federation, addressed the assembly to welcome the nations. She promised full administrative support for delegate and athlete visa coordination and initiated vital discussions on balancing the international tournament calendar to ensure maximum player participation across the board. A United Mediterranean Front Closing the productive session, General Secretary Jo’Anne Cassar expressed her gratitude to the council and delegates, reinforcing that the heart of COMEBA relies on mutual collaboration. As the confederation enters the latter half of 2026, it does so with a modernised statute, expanded development programs, and a clear, united roadmap for its athletes.
