Betty Birmingham posthumously named 2023 UNIQLO Spirit Award winner
Betty Birmingham, a passionate and long-time supporter of wheelchair tennis in Canada, has posthumously been named winner of the 2023 UNIQLO Spirit Award, with the Kyushu Wheelchair Tennis Association (KWTA), named as runner-up
Launched in 2017 by the ITF and UNIQLO, the award was created to honour an individual or organisation who embodies the principles and core values of UNIQLO, who embraces challenge in pursuit of the promotion of wheelchair tennis and is admired for their integrity and character.
Betty Birmingham had been a donor to the wheelchair tennis programme in Canada since 1992, after she and her late husband Bruce first encountered wheelchair tennis and fell in love with the sport when Betty was working as a tennis official at a tournament.
Without Betty’s and the Birmingham family’s support, wheelchair tennis in Canada would not have been able to sustain its levels of success and impact over the past 20 years.
Following Bruce Birmingham’s retirement from the banking industry, the Birmingham family continued to support wheelchair tennis by becoming title sponsor of the Birmingham National Championships, providing prize money and travel grants to players, and becoming title sponsor of the Birmingham Wheelchair Tennis Classic, one of the roster of Canadian tournaments on the UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour, providing Canadian and international players with a world class competition.
In 2008 Betty and her family also established the Birmingham Excellence Fund, which provides support to players on track to qualify for the Paralympic Games.
A strong and vocal advocate for the rights of people with disabilities and the growth of wheelchair tennis in Canada, Betty died in May this year, but during her lifetime she constantly challenged people around her and Tennis Canada to invest in wheelchair tennis and provide support to the athletes.
This has had a lasting impact nationally and internationally, with the Birmingham Wheelchair Tennis Classic, most recently held in Toronto in September this year, providing a valuable competitive opportunity for players across the world. The Birmingham family were Inducted into the Canadian Tennis Hall of Fame in 2020.
Congratulating Betty’s son and daughter, Jeff and Jennifer, on the 2023 UNIQLO Spirit Award, Tadashi Yanai, Chairman, President & CEO of Fast Retailing, said:
“All at UNIQLO were inspired by Betty’s outstanding commitment to wheelchair tennis and were saddened to hear about her passing. Betty was a strong and vocal advocate for the rights of people with disabilities and the growth of wheelchair tennis in Canada. Congratulations from everybody at UNIQLO on your family’s wonderful service. We thank Betty for the wonderful example she set for all involved.”
On learning of the award, Jeff Birmingham said:
“We are very humbled and honoured that our mother, Betty Birmingham, has been chosen to receive the UNIQLO Spirit Award. Tennis has been her lifelong passion as a player, umpire, and fan; being able to support and advocate for wheelchair tennis was the perfect way for her to contribute to the sport she loved.”
The KWTA, whose responsibilities include the organisation of the Japan Open Super Series, were named as runner-up for the 2023 UNIQLO Spirit Award after their outstanding commitment to develop wheelchair tennis through hosting tournaments, school projects and clinics for almost 40 years.
The association is not only positively impacting the 60 association members in the Iizuka City and Kyushu area of Japan, but also people of all ages and abilities from around the world.