1955 Thomas Cup 1955 Thomas Cup The Thomas Cup competition is an international team tournament for supremacy in men's badminton (its female counterpart is the Uber Cup). Beginning in 1948-1949, it was held every three years until 1982 and has been held every two years thereafter. Twenty-one national teams officially entered the third Thomas Cup series in 1954-1955 but two of these, Belgium and Burma, defaulted their opening "ties" (team matches). Four qualifying zones were established: Asia, Australasia, Europe and Pan America. Winners from each zone played-off in Singapore in late May and early June for the right to play Malaya which, as
World Badminton Federation to dismiss the South African association due to the apartheid policies of the then South African government. Conferences called by the Asian Badminton Confederation (now known as the Badminton Asia Confederation) were held in September and November 1977 which resulted in the withdrawal of the African Badminton Union (now Badminton Confederation of Africa) from the IBF. The founding of the World Badminton Federation was officially proclaimed at a third conference held in Hong Kong in February 1978. Twenty-two nations and regions, nearly all from Asia or Africa joined the federation: Bangladesh, Brunei, China, Ghana, Guyana, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Kenya,