Protective Eyewear

The existing Ontario Badminton Association (OBA) policy on eye protection is that all Junior players in Ontario must wear protective eyewear meeting the ASTM F803 Standard where there are more than two players on the same court at all OBA, District or affiliated club activities.

Because the Ottawa District Badminton Association (ODBA) has agreed that it cannot oblige private Clubs, such as the RA Badminton Club, to enforce this policy and that, in any event, enforcement is left to individual Clubs and tournament organizers, it has adopted the policy that normal prescription eyewear may be used in District and Club activities and in non-OBA-sanctioned tournaments, even though such eyewear does not meet the ASTM F803 standard, on the condition that parents are made aware of the risks involved, AND that parents accept all liability for injuries their children may sustain as a result of not using eyewear that meets the standard.

The RA Badminton Club and the RA Centre are very concerned about the safety of their members. However, because this policy has not been accepted by the International Badminton Federation, Badminton Canada as our national organization, or by many of the large number of other Canadian provincial and district associations, we do not feel obliged at this time to implement protective eyewear as mandatory.

Notwithstanding this present position, the RA Badminton Club and the RA Centre strongly urge parents to consider the potential for eye injuries and to encourage their children to wear protective eyewear. In allowing their children to NOT wear this equipment, parents are assumed to have accepted any liability for injury.

Regardless, participation in any tournament or event sanctioned by the OBA or the ODBA, all Junior participants MUST wear the protective eyewear in accordance with the policies, or they will NOT be allowed to participate.