Badminton Finland has started VALANOS -project, whitch is an equality project to improve the inclusion of children and youth with disabilities in badminton club activities.

Project is funded by the MInistry of Education and Culture until the end of the year 2026.

Goals

The goals of the project are to advance equality in clubs and to increase the number of para players in general club activities. Special emphasis is put to include children and youth with disabilities into clubs everyday activities.

Actions in the project

The action in the project include e.g. courses for clubs and coaches on inclusion, para badminton try-out events, para badminton handbook for clubs, and to establish a network to better reach adaptive sports target groups.

The project will be conducted in close cooperatin with badminton clubs and the VaSuPa ry, a Finnish Association for Para Badminton players.

Para badminton weekend course 28.-29.3.2026

Para badminton weekend course was held in 3K Urheiluopisto in Pajulahti.
We had long standing badminton coaches, club actives and fresh badminton actives around Finland take part in the course. We got to learn para badminton together, both in knowledge and in practice. The know how we have gathered will be later used as the basis of para badminton handbook.

Pilot clubs developing activities

There are 5 pilot clubs recruited to develop para badminton activities together with. Clubs are as follows:

• Badminton United, Vantaa and Helsinki
• Jyväskylän sulkapalloseura
• Mansen Sulka, Tampere
• Tervasulka, Oulu
• TVS-sulka, Turku

The VALANOS -project helps clubs according to individual needs. We will be building paths to badminton as recreational sport especially for children and youth with disabilities, but also for other age groups. We will also organize para badminton try-out events during the year.

Nationwide try-outs started in Turku

TVS-Sulka in Turku has started the try-outs of the VALANOS -project 3.6.2026.

Trial participants have been eager and their personal assistants have also been sweating on the court. Courts have been packed. The participants have been from different backrouds; first timers to active players.

Merkittävänä apuna on ollut Turun kaupunki, joka tukee toimintaa monella tavalla. Onkin hyvä muistaa seurojen ja kuntien välisen yhteistyön tärkeys. The city of Turku has been a major help and they support para badminton in many ways. This is a good reminder of the value in cooperation between badminton clubs and municipalities.

Para badminton will continue as part of TVS-sulka's activities in the autumn.

Upcoming events >>

Try-outs and para badminton fall season 2026

• 19.8. Tervsulka try-out event in Oulu as on Pop liikkua- event. myClub -link>>
• 28.8. TVS-sulka starts adaptive badminton pilot course in Turku. Fridays at 16:15 in Jarkko Nieminen Arena. Additional information and registration: Olli Jalamo Olli.jalamo@gmail.com.
• 6.9. Mansen sulka try-out event in Tampere tenniskeskus at 12-16. Registration Link>>
  Additional information Pekka Rantanen pekka.sulkapallo@gmail.com.
• Jyväskylän sulkapalloseura will start para badminton try-outs during week 34 in Jyväskylä.
• 31.10. Tervasulka will be attending Kempele adaptive sports event at Pekka Rinne Arena.
• 14.11. Badminton Unitedin try-out event in Talihalli at 10-13. In cooperation with other clubs in Helsinki metropolitan area.

More information coming soon, please follow your regional clubs communications!

Please contact for further information

If you or your club are interrested in advancing equal badminton possibilities, please contact me.

For more information:

Niko Halminen
project coordinator
niko.halminen@sulkapallo.fi
040 531 3631